Senior Labour MPS may be asked to join Brexit commission
THERESA MAY is considering setting up a cross-party Brexit commission, asking senior Labour MPS to join it, as part of her attempts to reach a consensus on the terms of Britain’s exit from the European Union.
Downing Street sources said the Prime Minister was looking at asking senior Labour MPS like Hilary Benn and Yvette Cooper to sit on the commission, which would “shadow the work of the Brexit department”.
The plans emerged after Mrs May asked Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for his support in delivering Brexit and pushing through legislation.
In a speech on Tuesday, Mrs May made a direct appeal to opposition parties to “contribute, not just criticise” and help “clarify and improve” her policies in the House of Commons instead of undermining them. It comes at a time when Mrs May’s leadership is at its weakest, amid open calls by Tory MPS for her to stand down following her failure to secure a majority at the election.
The Government’s slim working majority of 12 in the House of Commons – with the support of the Democratic Unionist Party – means that some key Brexit votes could be lost without support from MPS from other parties.
Mrs May’s friends said the commission would allow ministers and officials to try to win cross-party support for her Brexit negotiating strategy.
Both Mr Benn and Ms Cooper are members of the Privy Council, which allows them to be briefed on sensitive Government work. Both did not vote for an amendment backed by Chuka Umunna this month to keep Britain in the single market after Brexit.
Sir Keir Starmer was sworn on to the Privy Council at the end of last month so he could receive briefings on Brexit talks. The Daily Telegraph understands that this was personally pushed for by David Davis, the Brexit secretary.
However, Number 10 is nervous that any Labour MP who signs up to the commission might be targeted by hard Left Momentum activists.
News of the commission could spark fear among pro-brexit Conservatives that Mrs May is willing to compromise on their ambition to leave both the single market and the customs union.
She has been determined not to soften her position on Brexit and has insisted that ending the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and leaving the single market and customs union remain a red line.
A post-election poll by Yougov last month found that 51 per cent would prefer Brexit to be negotiated by a cross-party team.
Ms Cooper is a known supporter of a cross-party Brexit commission. She has said: “We should set up a small crossparty commission to conduct the negotiations, and have a clear and transparent process to build consensus behind the final deal. It should be accountable to parliament but avoid getting caught up in the inevitable hung parliament political rows.”
The move was also backed by Lord Hague, the former Tory party leader, who urged the Government to form a commission with the CBI, the Institute of Directors, the British Chambers of Commerce, the Federation of Small Businesses, the TUC, the first ministers of the devolved governments, and the leaders of all the opposition parties.
However, Stephen Kinnock, another Labour MP, warned: “If it’s focused on a tangible outcome, then fine. If it’s going to be a talking shop for Theresa May to pay lip service to the idea of cross-party working, then forget it.”