‘We will accept it and vote for it’: Keir Starmer says Labour WILL back Brexit deal with EU when it reaches parliament next week
- Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen announced Brexit trade deal today
- Sir Keir Starmer said it was not ‘credible for Labour to be on the sidelines’ and party would support it
Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer has announced he will back the government’s Brexit trade deal when it comes to a vote in Parliament.
Responding to the Prime Minister’s announcement of a deal being reached with the EU, Sir Keir said: ‘It is not the deal that the Government promised – far from it.
‘A better deal could have been negotiated. But I accept that option has now gone.’
Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer has announced he will back the government’s Brexit trade deal when it comes to a vote in Parliament
He added: ‘At a moment of such national significance, it is not credible for Labour to be on the sidelines.
‘That is why I can say today that when this deal comes before Parliament, Labour will accept it and vote for it.’
Sir Keir has previously stressed that an agreement with the EU would be in the national interest, but had not confirmed he would whip MPs to vote for it.
Since his election to the leadership in April, he has been to head off a new party split between pro-Remain members who had supported a second referendum and a smaller Brexiteer contingent.
It is reported that the party will take the stance of arguing any EU-UK trade deal will present Britain with the opportunity to work with Brussels to implement higher regulatory standards on workers rights and the environment.