Labour MP ridiculed on TV over Brexit policy claim

A LABOUR frontbencher was ridiculed by the BBC’S Question Time audience after saying her party’s Brexit policy had been “consistent from the beginning”.

Anneliese Dodds, a shadow treasury minister, prompted laughter as she made the claim during a clash with Anna Soubry, a leading Tory Remainer.

Ms Dodds responded by challenging audience members to “shout out” any of Labour’s inconsistencies. Ms Soubry interjected with: “Customs union.”

The claim came in the same month a shadow Brexit minister said Labour could back the “Norway model”, a Labour spokesman said that model was “not appropriate” and dozens of Labour peers rebelled against the party whip in a bid to keep the UK in the single market. Meanwhile, Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, said earlier this month that Labour “want to remain in the customs union” in comments contradicting party policy.

On the BBC show, Ms Dodds said: “Labour has been consistent from the beginning.”

When the audience broke into laughter she added: “We have been. From the very beginning, we said we were going to judge whatever the Government came up with against six tests.

“Theresa May and others said they would have the exact same benefits outside the EU as we currently have as part of the single market in the EU.

“So what we are saying is, right, you have got to prove it, because we believe in government being accountable.”