175 Labour MPs signed motion of no confidence in May within two hours

175 Labour MPs signed Jeremy Corbyn’s motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister within two hours of its tabling yesterday.

Over two thirds of the parliamentary party, including MPs such as Chuka Umunna and Neil Coyle, quickly rallied behind the Labour leader’s efforts to apply pressure on Theresa May and stop her ‘running down the clock’ on Brexit.

Commenting on the signatories, Labour Party chair Ian Lavery MP said: “It’s great to see Labour MPs acting against this Prime Minister’s shameless attempt to run down the clock, rob MPs of a proper meaningful vote on her botched Brexit deal, and risk the chaos of a no deal Brexit.

“We stand together to say we’ve had enough of this Prime Minister’s contempt for parliament and the people. Last week, 117 of her own Tory MPs said they had no confidence in her – she’s lost the confidence of parliament and this country.

“After two years of failed negotiation, it’s clear the Conservatives cannot deliver the Brexit deal the country needs. They need to make way for a party that can.”

The Labour leader announced on Monday that he would be tabling a censure motion against Theresa May after she refused to give MPs a vote on her Brexit deal this week.

In her latest Brexit statement, May confirmed to the House of Commons that the meaningful vote is scheduled to take place on the week of the 14th January. That means MPs won’t get a say on the Tory Brexit deal until mid-January despite Labour’s calls for a vote to be held urgently before Christmas recess.

Labour’s motion of no confidence read: “That this House has no confidence in the Prime Minister due to her failure to allow the House of Commons to have a meaningful vote straight away on the withdrawal agreement and framework for the future relationship between the UK and the EU.”

The government would have to allow parliamentary time for Corbyn’s censure motion to be put to vote, which it has declined to do. Last night, a Labour spokesperson said it showed May “does not believe she retains the confidence of this House”.

It is unacceptable for the country to wait another month before Parliament has the chance to vote on Theresa May’s botched deal.

Therefore I have tabled a motion of no confidence in the PM this evening, so Parliament can take back control. #NoConfidence pic.twitter.com/IRXeaScpZm

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) December 17, 2018