Labour failing their duty as Official Opposition on Brexit

This morning Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit Secretary, refused to answer how any Brexit deal that Labour could negotiate could pass Labour’s ‘six tests’.

Responding to the exchange on the Andrew Marr show, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

It is clear that Labour’s policy on Brexit is no closer to getting any clearer. After a week in which the Conservative Government’s deal was destroyed in an historic Parliamentary defeat, it is a dereliction of duty for the Opposition to continue without an alternative plan.

The shadow Brexit secretary could not answer how any Brexit deal they negotiated would pass Labour’s six tests, the most crucial being to provide the exact same benefits we currently enjoy as EU members.

The Liberal Democrats are clear; the best deal is the one we currently have. That is why we are continuing to fight for a people’s vote, with the option to remain in the EU.

It is time the Labour Party joined us in holding this shambolic Conservative Government to account.

Fox’s failure to sign trade deals shows Brexiters’ ‘Global Britain’ does not exist

Today Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, has admitted the UK has yet to finalise agreements to replace the existing free trade deals that the EU has with 40 big economies if there is a no-deal Brexit.

Responding, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

Liam Fox has confirmed that the tumult of trade deals that he promised would be signed, the day after Brexit, are stalled. There will not be, and never was going to be, any significant trade deals that could offset the loss of trade with our closest and largest partner.

It is time Fox admitted his grand project is ideological, not economic, and will leave us all poorer. The Brexiters’ vision of ‘Global Britain’ does not exist.

This Conservative Government has not only had two and half years worth of negotiating defeated this week in the House of Commons, but is completely unprepared for a no-deal scenario.

The only serious option left on the table is a people’s vote, with the option to remain in the EU.

Lib Dems: Final fig leaf of leave campaign falls off with Fox

Commenting on Liam Fox’s admission that he hasn’t yet secured any trade deals in preparation for a no deal Brexit, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

The final fig leaf of the leave campaign has finally fallen off as it turns out several trade deals Liam Fox said would be ready for Brexit will not be, perhaps not even one.

Not only has Liam Fox’s ‘easiest trade deal in history’ failed to materialise, so to have new trade deals disappeared from view.

This is why it is time to go back to the public with a people’s vote, with an option to remain.

Lib Dems fight Tory threats to human rights

Responding to a letter suggesting that the Conservative Government will consider repealing the Human Rights Act after Brexit, the Liberal Democrats vowed to “continue to lead the fight to protect our human rights”.

The letter, from Justice Minister Edward Argar to the House of Lords’ EU Committee, states that the Government will not repeal or replace the Human Rights Act “while the process of EU exit is underway”, but will “wait until the process of leaving the EU concludes before considering the matter further”.

This follows concerns raised by Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Ed Davey over the lack of a proper commitment to the European Court of Human Rights in Theresa May’s Brexit deal. As Mr Davey pointed out in a letter to the Prime Minister dated 22nd November 2018:

The draft political declaration published today (22nd November) merely states that: ‘The future relationship should incorporate the United Kingdom’s continued commitment to respect the framework of the European Convention on Human Rights’.

In that letter, Mr Davey asked the Prime Minister to explain this weakened wording, and to commit to the UK remaining a party to the ECHR.

Commenting on the Government’s letter, Ed Davey said:

This new Conservative threat to repeal the Human Rights Act and withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights is a scandal, and will undermine the Prime Minister’s attempt to win consensus.

The European Convention is totally separate from the EU, so the Conservatives have no mandate to attack British freedoms, yet it seems if Brexit goes through, that is their plan.

The Liberal Democrats demand better. We will continue to lead the fight to protect our human rights against Conservative attempts to undermine them.

Lib Dems: Outrageous that army reserves are on standby due to Tory Brexit mess

Responding to the news the Government has put the army reserves on standby due to a no-deal Brexit, Liberal Democrat Armed Forces Spokesperson Jamie Stone said:

The Conservatives have made such a mess of Brexit that now even soldiers are being put on standby. It is outrageous. What kind of message to the country is this? It does nothing to alleviate the worry and uncertainty people feel.

All this nonsense can be stopped by the Prime Minister ruling out a chaotic ‘no deal’ scenario. But better yet, Liberal Democrats would give the power back to the people through a People’s Vote with the option to remain in the EU.

Davey: UK facing energy crunch

Responding to the news that Hitachi have stopped work on the Wylfa plant, former Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Energy Ed Davey said:

Japanese businesses have warned about Brexit’s economic consequences since the 2016 referendum, so this latest set back to the Conservatives’ energy policy is not a surprise.

The UK will face an energy crunch in the next decade and fall behind on climate change targets if the Government just continues to sit on its hands.

Liberal Democrats demand better. The much cheaper opportunity of renewable power backed up by cutting edge technologies like new-generation batteries, interconnectors and tidal lagoons must now take priority over nuclear.

Cable: Either Corbyn backs Brexit or he backs the people

Responding to the defeat of Jeremy Corbyn’s vote of no confidence in the Conservative Government by 325 votes to 306 votes, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable said:

Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour party cannot procrastinate any longer. Either he backs Brexit or he backs the people.

He has a responsibility, to get off the fence and provide some effective opposition.

The only serious option is what the Liberal Democrats have been calling for since the 24th June 2016, a people’s vote with the option to remain in the EU

Cable: Research shows UK companies hit hard by ‘Leave’ vote

Responding to research from the University of Bristol (published 00:01 14 January 2019) which finds voting ‘Leave’ led to an average 16% drop in value for UK companies, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable said:

The UK hasn’t even left the EU and the damaging impact of the Brexit mess created by an irresponsible Tory party and indifferent Labour leadership is clear to see.

Any Brexit will hurt businesses, weaken public finances and create further job uncertainty for ordinary people. This is yet further evidence that it isn’t project fear, but project reality.

It doesn’t need to be this way, and Liberal Democrats demand better. That’s why we are leading the fight for an exit from Brexit through a People’s Vote. In this crunch week, all eyes will be on MPs to do the right thing for business and back that cause.

Corbyn has failed the test of leadership

Responding to Jeremy Corbyn’s interview on the Andrew Marr Show, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

Jeremy Corbyn is still trying to be all things to all people by refusing to declare unambiguously whether he will back a People’s Vote and stop this inevitable Brexit mess. It is cheap and won’t work.

48 hours from the biggest crisis the UK has faced since WW2, the country required leadership from the Leader of the Opposition. Corbyn has sat on the fence and failed that test.

Liberal Democrats are instead listening to people’s concerns and leading the fight to give them the option to remain in the EU with a People’s Vote.

Short-term sentences of 12 months or less must be scrapped now

Responding to the Prisons Minister’s comments that jail sentences of six months or less should be scrapped, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperon Ed Davey said:

Short-term sentences perpetuate the crisis in our overcrowded prisons, cost millions and don’t work to prevent crime. Robust community-based sentences are far more successful in reducing reoffending and the chance of more people becoming victims of crime.

Indications from the Prison Minister that he agrees is testament to the campaigners who have long made this case. However, the Prison Minister does not go far enough. Liberal Democrats demand better.

Our goal must be to transform prisons into places of rehabilitation and recovery, to cut re-offending and make our communities safer. That means urgent action now to scrap prison sentences of 12 months or less, not just six months or less.

Cable: No-deal is a choice and the Govt can stop it

The Prime Minister is expected to say in a speech tomorrow that voting down her deal will undermine democracy and be catastrophic for the country. Responding, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable said:

The increasingly desperate language from the Prime Minister more than suggests a great deal of panic. But she cannot be allowed to pull the wool over the public’s eyes. A chaotic no-deal Brexit is a choice and it is in the gift of the Government to prevent it.

The Prime Minister must end the scaremongering and the uncertainty of a no-deal. If not, Liberal Democrats will use every tool at our disposal to ensure Parliament does.

No matter the Brexit, any Brexit will be bad for jobs, the NHS and reduce our standing in the world. The best way to avoid that national embarassment is with a People’s Vote, including the option to remain in the EU.