BREXIT BLOCKERS
Labour plot to hijack Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal this week with second referendum vote
LABOUR is plotting to hijack Boris Johnson's Brexit deal this week with demands to hold a second referendum.
Sir Keir Starmer and John McDonnell said this morning that the party was likely to support an amendment for a second Brexit vote in Parliament in the coming days - along with "dozens" of others.
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The party has pledged to try and wreck Boris' Brexit deal when it comes back to the Commons from tomorrow.
That could include amendments for a second vote, or ones for a customs union with the EU after Brexit.
Such a move would cause a huge headache for the Government, as MPs could be persuaded to back a softer version of Brexit.
And in a shock move, Sir Keir said if a second amendment passes then Labour could even back Boris Johnson's deal.
The PM has to push through the Withdrawal Act Bill before Brexit can happen on October 31.
Speaking to the BBC today, Sir Keir said: "We need an amendment to say that whatever deal gets through, it should be subject to a referendum where that deal is put to the public and they're asked do you want to leave on these terms or would you rather remain in the EU."
He said it was "inevitable" that it would be put down but did not say whether it would be done by Labour or another party - such as the Lib Dems.
Sir Keir also said the "door was open" to discussions with the DUP about backing amendments to Boris' deal.
The fuming Northern Irish party has said it won't back Boris agreement as they think it breaks the UK up.
Yesterday they warned they would examine all amendments this week carefully in a threat to the PM they may work together with the Opposition to frustrate things further.
Labour has already whipped its MPs multiple times to back a second vote, but no attempts have succeeded so far.
When asked if the Labour front bench would back the amendment for another vote, Sir Keir said: "That is the clear policy."
But it is unclear what Jeremy Corbyn himself thinks of the plan.
Last week he said he would "caution" MPs against backing the PM's Brexit deal, even if there were a referendum attached.
Many MPs rebelled against him yesterday on the Letwin amendment and refused to back it.
Two Labour backbenchers put forward a second referendum amendment to Boris' deal yesterday, but it was never voted on.
Labour Brexiteer Kate Hoey said of the news today: "If this is true, then there will be fewer Labour Party members and thousands fewer Labour voters the day after this is tabled."
And John Mann, who is poised to back Boris' deal too, said: "Not everyone in Labour will back it, I can assure you."
Sir Keir Starmer refuses to rule out running for leader
SIR KEIR Starmer today refused to rule himself out of the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.
The Labour Brexit boss is expected to throw his hat in the ring when Mr Corbyn eventually quits.
Quizzed on his ambitions, he admitted there is a “very strong case” for Labour to finally have its first female leader.
He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “I’m clearly not a woman and I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon.”
But Sir Keir – a former barrister and head of the Crown Prosecution Service - refused to rule himself out.
Pressed on if he will run, he said he was “not going to start answering” about his leadership ambitions.
He added: “I’m not even discussing that, I’m 100 per cent behind Jeremy Corbyn.
“I am working with Jeremy Corbyn to try to win the next general election.
“I think what’s most important is that we build on what we’ve got at the moment and we build on that 2017 manifesto that was so popular in our movement.”
Sir Keir is one of the favourites to replace Mr Corbyn when he stands down.
Labour Remainers are a big fan of his as he has been key in shifting the party towards backing a second referendum,
But the leadership is desperate to see a committed Corbynista installed at the top of the party.And last week Mr McDonnell threw his backing behind a woman being the next leader, suggesting it could be Angela Rayner.
Meanwhile Labour MPs hit out at the abuse they had received for being willing to vote for Boris Johnson's Brexit deal.
Lucy Powell slammed the hatred some colleagues had been getting as "absolutely appalling".
She told Sky News earlier that many MPs were trying to reconcile themselves with their constituents, who had wanted to leave the EU.
"They are trying to respect that outcome, and they are vilified for doing so," Ms Powell stormed.
"It shouldn’t be an extreme position should it to say look, we’ve had a referendum, the result was something that I didn’t campaign for and many of us in the Labour party didn’t campaign for but the result was what it was which was a huge turnout and people voted to leave the EU and we have to try and respect that."
She said she was "really worried" about the party appearing to turn their backs on communities that voted leave and appearing to say "sorry, your voice doesn't matter anywmore".
She said that telling them "actually, we thought you were a bit ill-informed and we thought you were a bit racist and that's why were are going to ignore you" was the wrong message to send.
Threats to deselect MPs who voted for the Brexit deal had "appalled" her, she added.
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"We all just need to take a step back here, it requires compromise.... it requires us to respect each others opinions."
Mr Mann yesterday said he had received some of the "worst abuse ever" from Remainers including: "your constituents are mainly racist scumbags” ; “you must have sex abuse scandals to hide”; “hope you get a horrible debilitating illness”.
Jacob Rees-Mogg and his son, 12, heckled by anti-Brexit protesters who shout 'shame on you', 'traitor' and 'scumbag' outside Parliament
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