Corbyn accuses May of ‘PR sham’ over ‘phoney’ Brexit talks at No 10
PM insists on keeping the option of no-deal
LABOUR LEADER Jeremy Corbyn ramped up political tensions yesterday when he accused Theresa May of holding “phoney talks” over Brexit as he urged the Prime Minister to allow Parliament to decide on a course of action to tackle the growing crisis over the UK’s departure from the European Union.
Mr Corbyn branded Mrs May’s cross-party talks in Downing Street a “PR sham” and invited her to reveal which Brexit red lines she would rub out to gain consensus.
But Mrs May, who claimed she has adopted a “constructive” approach since her Brexit deal was comprehensively defeated by MPs, stood firm on her belief that a no-deal Brexit must remain an option, on her opposition to a second referendum and that concerns over the Irish border backstop need addressing.
She again urged Mr Corbyn to sit down with her to discuss Brexit, before telling MPs: “We all need to be able to look our constituents in the eye and say we did the right thing by them - that is leaving with a deal that ensures we deliver on the referendum and protect their jobs.”
But after Mrs May had updated the Commons, Mr Corbyn said: “The Prime Minister’s invitation to talks has been exposed as a PR sham. Every opposition party politician came out of those meetings with the same response.
“Contrary to what the Prime Minister just said there was no flexibility, there were no negotiations – nothing had changed.”
Mr Corbyn said the Government did not appear to have “come to terms with the scale of the defeat” over its deal, adding: “The Prime Minister seems to be going through the motions of accepting the result but, in reality, is in deep denial.
“The logic is that the Prime Minister must change her red lines because her current deal is undeliverable. So can she be clear and explicit with the House – which of her red lines is she prepared to move on?”
Mr Corbyn went on: “There is a clear majority in this House to support a deal in principle and to respect the referendum result – but it requires the Prime Minister to face reality and accept her deal has been comprehensively defeated.”
He asked Mrs May to clarify what “concessions” she will seek from the EU over the Irish border backstop, adding: “What makes her think that what she tried to renegotiate in December will succeed in January? This really does feel a bit like Groundhog Day.”
Mr Corbyn again pushed Mrs May to rule out a no-deal Brexit and “stop the colossal waste” of public money preparing for such an outcome, and said: “No more phoney talks. Parliament will debate and decide and this time I hope and expect the Government to listen to this House.”
But Mrs May shot back to Tory cheers: “He says no more phoney talks, it’ll be nice just to have some talks with him on this issue. He makes lots of claims about what has been said in the talks held so far, but actually he doesn’t know because he didn’t turn up to these talks.
“He makes a great deal about the issue of no-deal. He said there is a consensus, I think he said there is a view across this House that supported a deal in principle and wanted to deliver on Brexit – that’s exactly what I want to sit down and talk to him about because what we need to see is what is it that will secure the support of this House to enable us to leave the European Union with a deal.”
Tory former Minister Ken Clarke, who is the Father of the House, later called on Mrs May to reach out to Remainers in the Commons by considering a customs union or regulatory alignment with the EU. Mrs May said a plan was put forward last year which had a “degree of regulatory alignment” but that raised concern among a number of MPs - to cries of “your backbenchers” from Labour MPs.
The logic is that the Prime Minister must change her red lines. Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn.