Labour and rebel Tories to block no-deal

Labour is ready to work with rebel Tories to block a no-deal Brexit if Theresa May’s EU withdrawal plan fails, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

The shadow Brexit secretary was speaking to the Press Association shortly after John McDonnell raised the prospect of a “unity platform” across parties to protect jobs and the economy from being damaged by a chaotic departure from the EU.

Mr McDonnell suggested that Labour could secure a Commons majority for a compromise Brexit plan to avoid a “catastrophic” no-deal break with the EU.

Following the Prime Minister’s mauling in the Commons on Thursday, when MPs from all sides lined up to condemn her Brexit deal, both Mr McDonnell and Sir Kier said it was clear she could not get it through the House.

And Sir Keir said there would be “very, very choppy times” next week, when Mrs May’s survival as PM will be up for question. Mrs May was effectively saying: “I’ve got a deal, it’s not very good”, he said on a visit to Gateshead.

“She’s not even selling it as good now, she’s just saying: ‘It’s better than leaving without one, I have brought back something pretty inadequate, if you don’t like that, you get even worse.’

“That is not a good enough choice, and...there are plenty of Conservative MPs who would not countenance us leaving without a deal.”