Labour resist Sturgeon’s confidence vote demands

The Labour Party “is as much of a barrier to making progress on Brexit as the Tories are”, Nicola Sturgeon said as the official opposition ruled out attempting to topple the government until the new year.

The First Minister repeated SNP demands that Jeremy Corbyn bring a parliamentary motion of no confidence in the government, but members of his shadow cabinet said Labour would hold off until the Commons has voted on the proposed Brexit deal.

Challenged over his party’s stance during a visit to Edinburgh yesterday, Mr Corbyn said: “You’ll hear the move when I announce it.”

A confidence vote would trigger a 14-day countdown to a general election being called if it was supported by a majority of MPS. The government has said it will not put its Brexit deal before the Commons until the new year, although Labour hopes to force a debate on it this week.

In a TV interview yesterday, Ms Sturgeon said a no confidence motion would “help clarify Labour’s position” even if it failed to topple the government.

She said: “Labour’s position right now is it won’t back a second EU referendum until it has tried and failed to trigger a general election, but if it won’t try to trigger a general election then we’re in this catch-22 position. It seems to me right now that Labour is as much of a barrier to making progress on Brexit as the Tories are.”

Labour have said a confidence motion will only be brought if it can be won. Other opposition parties can move a confidence motion, but are not guaranteed immediate parliamentary time to have it debated.

Ms Sturgeon added: “The SNP will keep all options open and if Labour won’t act, then we will act.”

Labour are understood to be wary of losing a confidence motion in case it boosts support for a second EU referendum as an alternative solution to the Brexit deadlock.

Shadow Communities Secretary Andrew Gwynne said in an interview that a confidence motion won’t be brought until after the House of Commons get to vote on Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal.

And asked about the prospects of a new Brexit referendum, Labour’s shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-bailey said: “I think we need to respect the referendum. I think there is a deal that can be struck within Parliament that brings everybody together.”

But she added: “In an extreme situation … we wouldn’t rule out a People’s Vote at some point.”