Sturgeon issues call to Labour leader to back ‘soft Brexit’

Jeremy Corbyn told to get his act together to help Britain stay in the single market

The case for remaining in the European single market after Brexit could receive the backing of a majority of MPs if Jeremy Corbyn “gets his act together”, the First Minister has said.

Nicola Sturgeon piled more pressure on the Labour leader to get behind the position as she was challenged during First Minister’s Questions to back a public vote on the deal for leaving the EU.

Prime Minister Theresa May is facing a race against time to make progress in Brexit talks after the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) which props up her Government scuppered a deal aimed at resolving the Irish border issue on Monday.

Ms Sturgeon said there was now an opportunity for those in opposition to unite behind a “soft” Brexit, which would see the whole of the UK stay in the single market and customs union.

Blasting the UK Government as the most “incompetent” she has seen in her lifetime, the First Minister said: “I think the priority now, in my view, has to be to unite those who think that the most commonsense compromise option now is for the UK as a whole to remain within the single market and the customs union.

“I believe if Labour was to get its act together, if Jeremy Corbyn was to get his act together, I believe that position could command a majority in the House of Commons.

“Let’s try and unite all of those of that opinion to stop these incompetent, reckless, ideological Tories taking the UK and Scotland with it off a Brexit cliffedge.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie called on Ms Sturgeon to get behind the case for another referendum on the Brexit deal.

“The Conservatives are weak, split from top to bottom, in hock to the DUP,” he said.

“Surely the best way out of this is to give the British people the final say.

“The First Minister can help build the momentum for a new vote across the UK, she can persuade others.”

Ms Sturgeon said: “That, I think, is a decision for later.

“It may well be that the case for giving people across the UK another opportunity to have their say on the issue of Brexit becomes difficult to resist, but I think there is a more immediate necessity.”

The First Minister can help build the momentum for a new vote across the UK, she can persuade others. SCOTTISH LIB DEM LEADER WILLIE RENNIE

Picture: Fraser Bremner. Nicola Sturgeon has blasted the UK Government as the most “incompetent” she has seen in her lifetime.