Corbyn’s threat to block no-deal plan ‘only helps Brussels’
JEREMY CORBYN yesterday threatened to undermine Theresa May in Brussels by telling European Union leaders that he “will not countenance” leaving the EU without a deal.
The Labour leader met Michel Barnier, the EU’S chief Brexit negotiator, and warned that “no deal” would be catastrophic.
Mr Corbyn was given a “rock star” reception in Brussels and hailed as Britain’s next prime minister by Europe’s socialist leaders at a conference before the European Council summit being attended by Mrs May.
“The British Labour party does not see anyone in Europe as our enemies,” he said in a speech punctuated with regular gales of applause. “You are our friends, colleagues and comrades.”
Mr Corbyn was cheered on by European Left-wing leaders as he said he was proof that socialists can “prove the pundits wrong.”
He was joined on stage by the leaders of Sweden, Malta, Italy, the Czech Republic, Portugal and Austria.
Mr Corbyn also exchanged warm words with Pierre Moscovici, France’s EU commissioner. Before being mobbed by his selfie-demanding supporters, Mr Corbyn was introduced as “the next prime minister of the UK” by Gianni Pittella, the Italian leader of the Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament.
Syed Kamall, the Conservatives’ most senior MEP, said: “Jeremy Corbyn coming here today only helps the EU. He is effectively Michel Barnier’s puppet.”
After holding a behind-closed-doors meeting with the leaders, Mr Corbyn met Mr Barnier at European Commission headquarters. Just across the road in the Council’s Justus Lipsius building, Mrs May was arriving to meet EU leaders to address them about the deadlocked Brexit negotiations.
The Labour leader was accompanied in Brussels by Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, and Barry Gardiner, the shadow international trade secretary.
Before meeting Mr Barnier, Mr Corbyn said: “We cannot countenance the idea that we just run headlong into no deal in Europe. No deal would be catastrophic for manufacturing, industry and jobs.”
Mr Corbyn also met Antonio Tajani, the European Parliament president, who has dismissed Mrs May’s offer of €20billion to the EU budget as “peanuts”. When The Daily Telegraph put it to Mr Tajani that his meeting with Mr Corbyn would add to the uncertainty surrounding the Brexit talks, the Italian former commissioner said it was his duty as a democrat to listen to people. He said that Brexit negotiations would only take place with the UK government but later added: “I cannot say who will be the next prime minister.”
Sir Keir said that Labour was not “duty bound” to support any deal that Mrs May secures with Brussels. He added that it would be “irresponsible” to threaten to walk away from talks.