Corbyn’s cross-party group vows to fight no deal via legislation

Jeremy Corbyn has agreed with senior opposition MPs to prioritise legislation as a way of blocking no deal.

At a meeting today convened by the Labour leader last week, Corbyn agreed with other parties that a vote of no confidence should be reserved as an option of last resort, and that MPs should prioritise a legislative means to stop no deal in its tracks. The order of priorities was agreed following disputes over whether other opposition parties would express confidence in Corbyn to lead a national unity government.

The meeting, which lasted around 1 hour and 15 minutes, took place in Corbyn’s Commons office and was attended by Lib Dem Leader Jo Swinson, Change UK’s Anna Soubry and SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford. Labour’s John McDonnell, Keir Starmer, Valerie Vaz and Nick Brown were also in attendence.

A joint statement issued by Labour from the party leaders said: “The leaders of the opposition parties held a productive and detailed meeting on stopping a disastrous No Deal exit from the EU.

“The attendees agreed that Boris Johnson has shown himself open to using anti-democratic means to force through no deal. The attendees agreed on the urgency to act together to find practical ways to prevent No Deal, including the possibility of passing legislation and a vote of no confidence.”

The cross-party group plan to sieze control of Commons business in order to pass legislation forcing the Prime Minister to extend Article 50, a tactic that proved successful with the narrow 313-312 passage of the Cooper-Letwin bill in April. The group also discussed plans to block Johnson from proroguing parliament, forcing the government to publicise its no deal assesments and whether autumn recess should be cancelled.

A vote of no confidence remains on the table, but debate over the leader of the opposition’s offer to lead a caretaker government will subside with a legislative approach in sight. In the meeting Corbyn reassured his fellow MPs that Labour would not rush to pursue a vote of no confidence before exploring legislative measures to stop no deal. The Prime Minister’s close advisor, Dominic Cummings, is understood to have told government advisors earlier this month that Johnson could stay on as PM even in the event of a VONC and the formation of a unity government.

After the meeting, the Labour leader sent a letter to 116 Conservative and independent MPs who have voted against no deal urging them “to find a way for the clear will of parliament against no deal to express itself.” Theresa May, Philip Hammond and Greg Clark are among the letter’s recipients.