Stop a no-deal Brexit ‘disaster’, Corbyn begs EU negotiators

LABOUR leader Jeremy Corbyn yesterday urged Michel Barnier to stop a nodeal Brexit and told the EU’S chief negotiator in Brussels that Labour would vote down any agreement that did not respect its six tests.

The threat to bring down the Government and trigger a general election came just days before the Conservative Party conference, where Theresa May will face Brexiteers after her Chequers plan was dismissed by the EU at a disastrous summit in Salzburg.

On Wednesday, Barry Gardiner, the shadow trade secretary, said Labour was ready to “bend” its Brexit red lines but Mr Corbyn hinted in Brussels that he still insisted on six tests being met.

Widely seen as unachievable, they included avoiding a hard border in Ireland, guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens in Britain and protecting jobs.

After meeting Mr Barnier, Mr Corbyn said: “He was interested to know what our views were and the six tests we have laid down by which we will hold the British Government to account.”

Ashley Fox, leader of Conservative MEPS in the European Parliament, accused Mr Corbyn of trying to force an election by vetoing the deal. “The EU knows this and regards him as a threat to the negotiations,” he said.

Along with Mr Barnier, Mr Corbyn met Martin Selmayr, its most senior civil servant, and urged them to “do all they could to avoid a no-deal outcome”, adding: “Crashing out of Europe with no deal risks being a national disaster”.

Mr Corbyn earlier attended a ceremony renaming a square in the Belgian capital in memory of Jo Cox, the MP murdered during the referendum campaign. Mrs Cox had worked in Brussels before becoming a MP.