Corbyn would ‘dither and delay’ Brexit for years as prime minister, Johnson says
Labour leader set to pledge second referendum within six months as PM poses five key questions to him
‘It is clear your plan will result in years’ more expensive delay and will prolong the divisions in our society’
BORIS JOHNSON claimed Brexit would be delayed for “years” if Jeremy Corbyn became prime minister as he set out five questions the Labour leader must answer.
In an open letter to Mr Corbyn, the Prime Minister said voters deserved to have a “clear picture” of what would happen if Labour won power, accusing him of nothing more than “confusion and indecision” so far.
The Labour leader will make a speech today pledging to hold a second referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU within six months of coming to power.
He will claim that Labour would sign a new Brexit deal with the EU within three months of the election and then offer voters a referendum choice of Brexit with Labour’s deal or Remain. However, Mr Corbyn’s refusal to say whether Labour would campaign for or against their own deal, has led to widespread confusion about what La- bour stands for.
In his letter to Mr Corbyn, Mr Johnson said: “After three years of delay, the public wants to get Brexit done. We need a Parliament that is willing to allow this country to move on – that is why we are holding this election. They now need to know where you stand when it comes to Brexit.”
He accused Mr Corbyn of being deliberately vague over his Brexit policy, and continued: “For months you have sought to avoid explaining what your plan is for Brexit, and instead spent considerable time and energy seeking to undermine the negotiations.”
He blamed Mr Corbyn for the threemonth Brexit extension Britain has entered, which “is undermining faith in our democracy and bringing uncertainty to our economy”.
The Prime Minister set out the five questions to which he said voters deserved answers, and asked Mr Corbyn:
♦ Do you believe the result of the 2016 referendum should be respected and the UK should leave the EU?
♦ Is the Labour Party’s policy to keep the UK in the customs union and would it end free movement in any deal it negotiates?
♦ Would you commit to campaigning on your “deal” in a second referendum?
♦ What is your supposed timetable to renegotiate a new deal and then hold a second referendum. How much taxpayers’ money will you spend on holding this unwanted second referendum in 2020 and would this comply with Electoral Commission guidance on holding referendums? ♦ You rightly claim (for now at least) that the Liberal Democrat and SNP plan to revoke Article 50 is extreme – but if there is a hung Parliament you will depend on their votes. Will you confirm that, if there is a hung Parliament, you would never be willing to revoke Article 50?
Mr Johnson characterised Mr Corbyn’s position as wanting to “go back to square one” by throwing out the current deal and negotiating a new one from scratch.
He wrote: “It is already clear that your plan will result in years’ more expensive delay and will prolong the divisions in our society…
“Under your proposals, 2020 will be lost to more dither and delay over Brexit.”
The Brexit row came as a new analysis, published by The Times, suggested that Labour’s proposals for a four-day week could cost taxpayers £17bn annually.
According to the Centre for Policy Studies think tank, the plan – which has been promoted by John Mcdonnell, the shadow chancellor – would impose a major burden on the Treasury due to a burgeoning public sector wage bill.