MPs could stop no-deal Brexit dead in its tracks’ – Brown

BREXIT could be avoided without the need to win a confidence vote in the House of Commons, according to Gordon Brown.

Mr Brown, speaking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival yesterday, also suggested the Government has been receiving advice privately on the impact of a no-deal scenario.

“If the Government cannot deliver its no-deal, then it is set back and has to think again,” said Mr Brown. “I believe the MPs are meeting to discuss what they should do and the obvious thing to do is for them to agree to take over the business of the House of Commons for a day, pass a law that says that the Government cannot go ahead with a no-deal Brexit until a report has been prepared on the consequences of a no-deal.

“You could get a majority in the House of Commons for that and I believe that would stop it dead in its tracks. Then we’d be able to talk seriously about what is the best relationship between Britain and Europe, because none of the long-term relationships have been sorted out by Mrs May’s deal, by anybody else’s proposal so far. But the starting point is stopping no-deal.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has proposed stepping in as a caretaker prime minister in the event of winning a vote of no confidence against the Government, with a view to them calling for a general election.

However, Mr Brown suggested that it would not be essential to have a general election to prevent a nodeal Brexit.

“I would like to see this Government defeated,” said Mr Brown. “But you can stop Brexit without necessarily winning a confidence vote in the House of Commons and forcing a general election. And the reason I’m saying you can do this is that under the standing orders of the House of Commons, you can take over the business, MPs can vote by a majority to take over the business from the Government for a day.”

“You can then put a Bill into that debate in that day that says, ‘Until you’ve satisfied ourselves that a nodeal Brexit does not have adverse economic consequences or social consequences for the people of this country, you cannot go ahead with a no-deal Brexit.

“You could pass that law immediately.”