PMQs: Corbyn drives home realities of Brexit

To kick off the first Prime Minister’s Questions of the new parliamentary session, Theresa May called on Jeremy Corbyn to “stand up and apologise” for his comment about some Zionists failing to understand “English irony”. The Labour leader responds by declaring that there is “no place for racism in any form in our society” – and “that includes the Conservative Party”. 

This afternoon Corbyn opted for what used to be shunned but has now become an old favourite: a narrow focus on the government’s Brexit shambles. Just as a sonnet gives rise to a poet’s creativity through restriction, his incisive questioning on a single topic is far more effective than the ‘scattergun’ approach he used to favour.

The Labour leader primarily argued that the Prime Minister seemed to be at odds with her own Chancellor on just how damaging a ‘no deal’ Brexit would be to the British economy. Liam Fox, her International Trade Secretary, has judged that there is a “60-40” chance the UK will leave the EU without a deal. “Is he right?” Corbyn asked. That reasonable question wasn’t answered by May, of course.

“We’re working to get a good deal with the EU,” the Prime Minister repeatedly replied. Asked whether the right “assessment” is being “unfazed” by ‘no deal’ or concerned that it could slash GDP by 8%, as Phillip Hammond has warned, May refused to answer. Quoting the World Trade Organisation (WTO), she described ‘no deal’ as “not a walk in the park… but not the end of the world”. A low bar indeed. 

A couple of zingers livened Corbyn’s performance. “She can’t keep dancing around all the issues”, in reference to May’s jigs on her Africa trip, particularly invited raucous laughter (not all genuine) on the opposition benches. Meanwhile, May’s claims that businesses are “showing confidence” rang hollow, and the attempts to pin Labour down on free movement and a final deal referendum fell flat. Finally, the Prime Minister took advantage of having the last word, bookending the PMQs session with another reminder of antisemitism within Labour as she declared Corbyn “should be ashamed of himself”. 

But the latest poll shows the opposition party opening up a four-point poll lead over the Tories. While Labour’s antisemitism row has caused hurt and fractured (possibly beyond repair) the party’s relationship with Jewish communities, which is set to have an important long-term impact, it is the Prime Minister’s chaotic handling of Brexit that seems to be cutting through to voters.