MP: Brexit mess is all the Government's fault
Eleanor Smith has insisted that Labour has played no part in the country's Brexit "mess" – claiming the failure of Theresa May's deal this week will be down to the Government alone.
In a House of Commons intervention the Wolverhampton South West MP said those who were directly involved in the Brexit negotiations were "the only people to blame" for the UK ending up with "a deal which nobody wants".
The Prime Minister's deal is expected to suffer a humiliating defeat when it goes before the Commons tomorrow, with up to two thirds of MPs set to oppose it.
It comes after the Government has continued to come in for widespread criticism over its agreement with the EU, which Mrs May maintains is the only deal available.
But critics have slammed Jeremy Corbyn's Labour party for its confused approach to the EU, with many MPs calling for a second referendum in a bid to block Brexit – a move the party leader considers a last resort.
Ms Smith, who plans to vote against the deal tomorrow evening, told MPs: "As politicians we will all be blamed for this mess – but the only people to blame are those who have been involved directly in the Brexit negotiations.
"It is for these reasons that this Deal cannot command my support – and if it cannot achieve the support of Parliament – the country will need time to find a real alternative."
In her speech Ms Smith, a lifelong trade unionist, criticised the EU withdrawal agreement for a failure to protect workers rights.
She said the Government's negotiations had only achieved "a vague wish list of so-called high standards" for workers.
The MP added: "The only thing that seems clear and certain is that it will make the country poorer – and will affect areas like the Black Country severely. In the 2016 Referendum people did not vote to be worse off.
"The Attorney General has confirmed that this deal lacks safeguards to prevent UK employment rights falling behind those of neighbouring EU countries.
"I am being asked to put on a blindfold and walk meekly into the lobby believing the Government is going to guarantee the rights of working people, and that if I don’t do this it will lead to us having a no deal Brexit.
"It is unfair of the Prime Minister to seek to hold Parliament to ransom in this way. This means working people have no way of knowing what the UK’s future relationship with the EU will really look like and how it will impact on their lives."
