Corbyn: May’s isolation in Brussels reveals the scale of Tory chaos over Brexit

This is Jeremy Corbyn’s full response to Theresa May’s Commons statement on the Council of Europe. 

Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Prime Minister for advance copy of this statement, and as we approach the end of 2016, I think we can all agree, this has been a year of huge change for this country and for the rest of the world.

But with change has come a great deal of division. So as we move swiftly towards the triggering of article 50. I want to appeal to the Prime Minister to not only work harder to heal those divisions in the UK, but to also make sure her New Year’s resolution includes a commitment to build better relations with our European partners so we get the best deal for the people of Britain. Not just a Brexit that benefits big business and bankers.

At the moment it is clear that on the international stage the Prime Minister and Britain are becoming increasingly isolated.

And if we are to build a successful Britain after Brexit it is more vital than ever that our relationship with our European partners remains, strong, cordial and respectful.

It is also clear through my own discussions; European leaders are becoming increasingly frustrated by her shambolic government and their contradictory approach to Brexit negotiations. The mixed messages from her frontbench only add to the confusion. This government fails to speak for the whole country; instead we hear a babble of voices speaking for themselves and their vested interests.

For instance Mr Speaker, last week we were told by Britain’s permanent representative to the EU that a Brexit deal may take 10 years, contradicting what the Secretary of State for Brexit, told a select committee that day, when he said a deal could be struck within 18 months.

We also heard from the Chancellor, who told us that Britain was looking for a transitional deal with the EU, only for the Secretary of State for International Trade to warn against this – saying any arrangement close to the status quo would go against the wishes of those who voted to leave.

The people of Britain deserve better than this confusion at the heart of government.

And confidence is being lost. The Government’s chaotic approach to Brexit risks causing enormous damage to the British economy now and in the long term.

Mr Speaker, I do welcome the fact the Government have now accepted Labour’s demands for a published Brexit plan. But it is still unclear as to how the plan will be presented and when we will receive it.

So can the Prime Minister today do what the Secretary of State for Brexit, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for International Trade and the Permanent Secretary to the EU all failed to do last week and give this country some real answers?

Can she tell us when this house will receive the Government’s plans for Article 50 negotiations and how long will we be given to scrutinise that plan? Can she tell us how long the UK government envisages the whole process to take? And can she tell us if the UK government will be looking for an interim transitional deal with the EU?

These are basic questions, that still haven’t been answered, nearly six months after Britain voted to leave the EU.

Mr Speaker, there were also reports last week that the UK would be asked to pay a 50bn euro bill to honour commitments to the EU budget until 2020. Can the Prime Minister tell this house if this is the case? And can she update us all on the Government’s contingency plans for those projects and programmes in the UK that are currently reliant on EU funding after 2020?

Mr Speaker, I welcome the Prime Minister’s desire to bring forward and give greater clarity on the issue of rights of EU citizens in the UK. However, if the Prime Minister is serious about this, why wait? Why won’t this government end the worry and uncertainty, as this house demanded in July and give an unequivocal commitment to guarantee people’s rights, before Article 50 is triggered – as both the TUC and the British Chamber of Commerce have called for this weekend?

Not only is this the right thing to do, it would also send a clear signal to our colleagues and to our European friends that Britain is committed to doing the right thing and committed to a friendly, future relationship.

And with that in mind, I would like to congratulate the new Austrian President, Alexander Van Der Bellen. I’m sure we will all agree, his victory in the recent Presidential elections, represents a victory for tolerance and kindness over hate and division and the dangerous rise of the far right across Europe.

Mr Speaker, I am also glad the EU Council leaders discussed other pressing global issues last week. Notably around the terrible situation in Syria.

Therefore, I want to use this opportunity to renew my calls, which I made in a letter to the Prime Minister last week, for an urgent and concerted effort from the Government to press for an end to the violence and a UN-led ceasefire, the creation of UN-brokered humanitarian corridors and the issuance of effective advance warnings of attack to the civilian population. As well as urgent talks through the United Nations to achieve a negotiated political settlement.

It is clear the rules of war are being broken on all sides. Labour has long condemned attacks on civilian targets on all sides, including those by Russian and pro-Syrian government forces in Aleppo for which there can be no excuse.

I also know the issue of Cyprus and reunification were raised at the Council meeting. Can the Prime Minister give us an update on what was said on this issue? As we know Britain is a guarantor of the 1960 independence treaty.

Mr Speaker, there is a lot to do in 2017, with a lot of important decisions to be made. I make a plea to the Prime Minister to represent all sides, whether they voted leave or remain. And make the right decisions that benefit not just her party, but all of the country.