Jeremy Corbyn plots new law with Remainers to sabotage No Deal Brexit after ditching plan to take over as PM
JEREMY Corbyn has ditched his plans to storm into No10 and take over as PM – and agreed with Remainer MPs to push for a new law to sabotage No Deal instead.
The leftie boss hosted an anti-No Deal summit today with five other opposition parties – and begged Tories including Theresa May and Philip Hammond to join them.
Mr Corbyn wanted to hold a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson, bring the Government down and storm into No10 as a caretaker PM, before calling an election and delay Brexit for a THIRD time.
But after a huge backlash from other MPs who didn’t want to serve under the leftie boss, he’s agreed instead to push forward with plans to change the law and wreck the 31 October deadline instead.
Efforts will focus on passing a new bill, forcing the publication of documents about No Deal, and doing all they can to stop Boris shutting down Parliament.
The group also agreed to oppose breaking up for party conference recess in just a few days’ time.
Boris has insisted Britain will come out of the EU by the end of October “do or die”.
As MPs gear up to return to Westminster next week:
- Jeremy Corbyn wrote to 116 Tory MPs – including Theresa May and Philip Hammond – to beg them to help him stop a No Deal
- MPs signed a declaration vowing to oppose Boris shutting down Parliament to push through Brexit
- The Archbishop of Canterbury agreed to chair a citizens’ assembly so the people can try and sort out our EU exit
- No10 confirmed that Boris could bring back Theresa May’s hated deal again – if the EU agrees to ditch the backstop
Boris Johnson said earlier: “The referendum result must be respected.
“We will leave the EU on 31st October.”
A No10 source said Mr Corbyn and opposition leaders were “actively seeking to sabotage the UK’s position”.
They added: “This coalition of anti-democrats should be honest with the British public – they are against us leaving the EU no matter what.
“The Government believes politicians don’t get to choose which public votes they respect.”
Anna Soubry described today’s discussions as “excellent” and confirmed the group’s plans.
The Independent Group for Change leader said: “We agree we will work together to stop a No Deal Brexit by legislation.”
Green Party leader Caroline Lucas said a plan for a no confidence vote and “temporary government” wasn’t even discussed at today’s crunch summit.
She told BBC News: “There was complete unanimity around a number of issues – the legislative way is the way forward. To extend Article 50 and get rid of the October 31 deadline.
“It was a very constructive meeting.”
This coalition of anti-democrats should be honest with the British public – they are against us leaving the EU no matter what
No10 source
And Jo Swinson, who has said she doesn’t want to waste time on Mr Corbyn’s plot to become PM, said his idea was thrown out too.
“There was real focus and real agreement on the table about the best forward to pursue legislative approaches.”
More meetings will take place in the next 48 hours to work out exactly how to do it, she revealed.
Party leaders agreed to set up a working group and have more meetings in the coming days to thrash out their plan to take control of the Commons – which was successful earlier this year by Yvette Cooper and Sir Oliver Letwin.
Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts said the meeting had a “very positive spirit”.
She told the Mirror: “What we agreed upon is we will work upon a legislative approach and that we will be implementing that as soon as we can [next week].”
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said the parties had committed to “work together effectively to prevent a catastrophic No Deal.”
He added: “Parliament must grasp this opportunity, unite to stop Boris Johnson shutting down democracy – and be ready to use all mechanisms to block a no-deal disaster, including deploying legislation as a priority.”
Tory rebels including Dominic Grieve and Sir Oliver were invited but didn’t attend today.
Independent MP Nick Boles, who didn’t go, said that MPs must now stop the conference recess in just a few weeks’ time.
He said: “Voters will not understand Parliament knocking off for 3 weeks at this crucial time.”
MPS UNITE TO TRY AND STOP NO DEAL BREXIT
Meanwhile, MPs from across the political spectrum gathered for a symbolic meeting at Church House in Westminster this afternoon.
They signed a declaration opposing any plans to shut down Parliament, and vow to set up their own one instead if that happens, as ITV revealed last night.
John McDonnell attended on behalf of Labour.
And this afternoon another group of MPs wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury, asking him to chair a so-called ‘citizens’ assembly made up of the public to try and find a way to break the Breixt deadlock.
Senior MPs including Hilary Ben, Yvette Cooper, Frank Field and Caroline Spelman said it would give people the chance to listen, debate and come up with their own plans to sort it out.
“A process which involves a bit less shouting and a bit more listening and considering could help the whole country,” they said.
The Archbishop welcomed the invitation and said he was “honoured to be approached”.
But he would only do it if it had cross party support, wouldn’t delay Brexit, and was properly organised.
“Let us pray for all those in government, parliament and political leadership,” he said today.
“Let us pray for the people of this country whose lives will be affected in many ways by the momentous decisions that are made.”
Corbyn begs Theresa May and anti-No Deal rebels to work with Labour to stop Boris
JEREMY Corbyn has this afternoon written to Theresa May and Tory MPs who are opposed to a No Deal Brexit to beg them to work with him.
The Labour boss, who is unlikely to get a majority of MPs supporting his plans in the Commons if he brought down Boris, invited the ex-PM and others to “find a practical way to prevent No Deal”.
He said he still thought an early election and then an extension of Article 50 was the “simplest and most democratic way” of doing that.
But he didn’t mention a no confidence vote in Boris, something Tories think he will probably lose if he brings it forwards next week.
However, he didn’t mention a plan to create a new law to stop No Deal either, as was agreed this morning with opposition MPs.
“I would like to invite you to join a dialogue with myself, as leader of the Labour Party, and other opposition parties, to find a way for the clear will of parliament against No Deal to express itself,” he wrote.
Dear colleague,
I am writing to you after convening a meeting earlier today with the leaders of other opposition parties on how we can work together, across Parliament to prevent a damaging No Deal exit from the European Union. At that meeting, we agreed to make efforts to put party politics aside to find a way through the present crisis.
We know there is a majority in parliament against No Deal. As MPs we’ve voted against No Deal on a number of occasions and we did so in the largest number on 27 March of this year.
As you were one of 116 Conservative or independent MPs who voted against No Deal that day and are not on the government frontbench, I am writing to you to offer to work together, in a collegiate, cross party spirit, to find a practical way to prevent No Deal.
This is an urgent task. The Prime Minister is reportedly planning to suspend parliament to force through a No Deal crash out. This action would be, according to legal advice I’ve received from Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti, “the gravest abuse of power and attack upon UK constitutional principle in living memory”.
My view is that holding a general election after an extension is achieved is the simplest and most democratic way to prevent No Deal and to let the people of this country decide our future. Indeed, it is the best route to a referendum or leaving the EU with a deal.
I understand not all colleagues may agree.
So I would like to invite you to join a dialogue with myself, as leader of the Labour Party, and other opposition parties, to find a way for the clear will of parliament against No Deal to express itself. Please respond by email.
Yours sincerely,
Jeremy Corbyn
Sent to: Bim Afolami, Peter Aldous, Heidi Allen, Harriet Baldwin, Guto Bebb, Henry Bellingham, Richard Benyon, Paul Beresford, Nick Boles, Peter Bottomley, Andrew Bowie, Karen Bradley, Steve Brine, James Brokenshire, Alex Burghart, Alistair Burt, James Cartlidge, Alex Chalk, Greg Clark, Ken Clarke, Damian Collins, Alberto Costa, Stephen Crabb, Glyn Davies, Jonathan Djanogly, David Duguid, Alan Duncan, Philip Dunne, Tobias Ellwood, Michael Fallon, Mark Field, Vicky Ford, Roger Gale, Mark Garnier, David Gauke, Cheryl Gillan, Robert Goodwill, Luke Graham, Richard Graham, Bill Grant, Helen Grant, Damian Green, Justine Greening, Dominic Grieve, Sam Gyimah, Kirstene Hair, Philip Hammond, Richard Harrington, Trudy Harrison, Oliver Heald, Peter Heaton-Jones, Nick Herbert, Sylvia Hermon, Damian Hinds, Simon Hoare, George Hollinbery, Kevin Hollinrake, John Howell, Nigel Huddleston, Jeremy Hunt, Margot James, Andrew Jones, Daniel Kawczynski, Gillian Keegan, Stephen Kerr, John Lamont, Phillip Lee, Jeremy Lefroy, Oliver Letwin, Ivan Lewis, David Lidington, Jack Lopresti, Paul Masterson, Theresa May, Patrick McLoughlin, Huw Merriman, Maria Miller, Anne Milton, Andrew Mitchell, Damien Moore, David Morris, David Mundell, Bob Neill, Sarah Newton, Caroline Noakes, Neil O’Brien, Neil Parish, Mark Pawsey, John Penrose, Claire Perry, Dan Poulter, Victoria Prentis, Mark Prisk, Mary Robinson, Douglas Ross, Antoinette Sandbach, Andrew Selous, Alec Shelbrooke, Keith Simpson, Angela Smith, Nicholas Soames, Caroline Spelman, John Stevenson, Rory Stewart, Gary Streeter, Mel Stride, Julian Sturdy, Hugo Swire, Derek Thomas, Maggie Throup, David Tredinnick, Tom Tugendhat, Ed Vaizey, David Warburton, John Woodcock, Jeremy Wright
Joint statement from the opposition leaders - Labour, SNP, Lib Dems, Plaid, Greens and Independent Group for Change
“The leaders of the opposition parties held a productive and detailed meeting on stopping a disastrous No Deal exit from the EU.
“Jeremy Corbyn outlined the legal advice he has received from Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti which calls Boris Johnson’s plans to suspend parliament to force through a No Deal “the gravest abuse of power and attack upon UK Constitutional principle in living memory”.
“The opposition leaders agreed that Boris Johnson has shown himself open to using anti-democratic means to force through no deal for which he has no mandate.
“The opposition leaders agreed on the urgency to act together to find practical ways to prevent No Deal, including the possibility of passing legislation and a vote of no confidence.
“The party leaders agreed to further meetings.”
Tory MP Mr Grieve, who was invited to today’s summit but didn’t attend, said this afternoon that it was the “First big step in building unity against No Deal.”
And he claimed: “Patriotism requires us to put our country’s needs ahead of any sectional, factional or party interest and those who have agreed to do this are indeed true patriots.
Mr Grieve said that Mr Corbyn as a caretaker PM wouldn’t work.
But he floated the idea that Hilary Benn, a long-standing Labour MP, could instead be an interim leader – and again said he wanted another referendum to stop Brexit.
He also said it would be easier if Remainer MPs changed the Brexit date or even “eliminated it entirely” – opening the door for revoking Article 50 and stopping our EU exit in its tracks.
“It needs a high level of trust involved – Jeremy Corbyn is something of an outsider even in his own political party.”
Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer told Radio 4 earlier: “I think it’s important we pull people together and agree a plan.
“Of course, there’s the option of a vote of no confidence.
“But what we did back in April was to ensure that the majority in Parliament was able to take control of proceedings and pass legislation to extend Article 50.”
And he admitted that he would fight for Labour to Remain in the EU “in any outcome” – alongside John McDonnell and Diane Abbott.
Tory Chairman James Cleverly said: “It’s becoming increasingly clear Labour want to ignore the referendum, stay in the EU and will use any excuse to do so.
“Labour’s repeated promises to respect the referendum result lie in tatters and it’s clear Corbyn cannot be trusted to deliver on the will of the British people.
“Only Boris Johnson and the Conservatives will deliver Brexit by 31 October, whatever the circumstances, and deliver the change British people voted to see.”
COALITION OF CHAOS
Meanwhile, Boris is set to send his Brexit chief to Brussels on Wednesday for urgent talks about breaking the Brexit deadlock.
David Frost will go over tomorrow to see if there is any chance a deal can be done.
Boris launched a pre-emptive strike against the Corbyn-led talks, accusing him of plotting to “renege, reject, revoke the mandate of the people”.
The PM added: “And I cannot think of anything worse for democracy or for trust in politics and I very much hope that does not happen.”
And Brexiteer Andrew Bridgen blasted: “Corbyn is trying to rally his coalition of chaos to make his dreams of an October revolution a reality and get himself into No10 without ever winning an election in true Marxist style.
“He leads a Labour Party where two thirds of their seats voted Leave and the policy is now to stop Brexit at all cost, with the help of the SNP, who love referendums but hate the results.
“The Lib Dems who propose a policy of a second referendum but who would only accept a remain result and a rag tag rabble of democracy deniers, defectors and by-election dodgers.”
Boris sends Brexit chief to Brussels tomorrow as hopes for deal boosted
BORIS Johnson is sending one of his Brexit chiefs to Brussels for talks with officials tomorrow – as hopes are boosted that a deal CAN be done.
David Frost is going to Europe tomorrow for high level talks.
He’s been having discussions with his EU parts for weeks already, but after Boris’ breakthrough last week there is hope that a deal can be reached.
Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron gave Boris 30 days to come up with a solution to the hated backstop, and have indicated they are willing to talk.
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