Vicky Foxcroft MP for Lewisham Deptford & Shadow Minister for Disabled People
As you may have seen in the news, last night Jeremy Corbyn made an announcement about Labour’s voting intentions for this week.
We have published a frontbench amendment which will instruct the Government to negotiate the key elements of Labour’s alternative Brexit plan, including a comprehensive and permanent customs union.
If our amendment does not win the support of a majority of MPs, we will either put forward or support an amendment in favour of a public vote to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit or – even worse – a no deal outcome. In an interview this morning, shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer confirmed that this would mean a public vote with remain on the ballot paper.
In an effort to further rule out a no deal Brexit we will also be backing Yvette Cooper and Oliver Letwin’s amendment, which would set out a process to extend Article 50.
As I have said before, there have been months and months of intense negotiation going on behind the scenes and I am pleased that Jeremy has shown that he is listening to calls for a people’s vote. The alternatives we are presenting this week are the only ways of breaking the current deadlock.