Humiliation for Starmer as Labour MPs refuse his call to support Johnson’s bad Brexit deal
Keir Starmer stood humiliated in Parliament after his reasons for supporting Boris Johnson’s Brexit trade deal were ridiculed on all sides, and almost one-fifth of Labour’s MPs rejected his call to join the Tory government in voting for it.
In total, 36 Labour MPs who do not currently have the party whip suspended abstained from voting for the deal. Two more, from whom the party whip is currently suspended – Jeremy Corbyn and Claudia Webbe – also abstained. And Bell Ribeiro-Addy went further, voting against the deal.
Perhaps they all agreed with these words:
Every MP who has voted not to have a say on a matter that is important to their constituents – and that is most MPs – has fundamentally betrayed their constituents and undermined our Parliamentary democracy.
— Marcus Chown (@marcuschown) December 30, 2020
He means there was no opportunity to change the deal – it was a matter of taking it or leaving it (“no deal”) so the rights of the UK electorate to have it discussed in a democratic way were trampled.
Mr Corbyn’s decision is particularly embarrassing for Labour’s Chris Bryant, in the light of this:
It’s going to be rather amusing if Bryant votes *for* Johnson’s deal and Corbyn votes against it… pic.twitter.com/4vtj1RosvF
— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) December 24, 2020
Do I have to point out the obvious – that Bryant did indeed support Johnson’s deal, and Brexit, while Corbyn did not?
But Bryant’s embarrassment is just a symptom of the about-turn that Labour has made under Keir Starmer:
The anti-Corbyn mob told us repeatedly that “@UKLabour is the party of remain”.
Funny, then, that the man they put their faith in (Sir @Keir_Starmer) has now betrayed them all and will vote for a Tory Brexit. Insulting them along the way by pretending it’s to stop ‘no deal’.
— James Foster (@JamesEFoster) December 30, 2020
Starmer himself came badly unstuck when he spoke in the Commons debate on the deal.
Listening to @Keir_Starmer in the commons and the only sensible outcome from what he is saying should be that “@UKLabour will vote against this deal”.
That they’re going to vote for it, despite the arguments he is making, is really quite astonishing. A failure.
— James Foster (@JamesEFoster) December 30, 2020
It seems his rationale was that any deal is better than no deal at all, But there is a flaw in that argument:
There is no risk of ‘no deal’.
This “excuse” from Labour MPs is poor.
The papers on New Years Day will be filled with guff about how Boris Johnson defeated the odds by getting a deal, that he “Got Brexit Done”- as he said he would- & that he has set the UK on a new course.
— James Foster (@JamesEFoster) December 29, 2020
It is indeed a poor excuse, as was pointed out to Starmer by Independent MP Jonathan Edwards:
I am afraid the leader of the Labour party has accepted the spin of the Government that this is a binary choice between deal and no deal. It says a lot about the way his position has changed over recent weeks.
He also made a point of noting that Starmer had turned his back on Corbyn’s pledge that Labour would only support a deal that passed six tests:
He used to have six tests for any Brexit deal that he would be willing to support. How many of those tests does he believe the agreement actually meets?
Starmer could not answer.
Turns out, when Jeremy Corbyn said he would only vote for a Tory #Brexit deal that passes Labour's 6 tests, he meant it.
And Keir Starmer didn't.
That's the difference between an MP with principles and an MP with none.
Hope the centrist blue tick brigade are happy.
— Frank Owen's Legendary Paintbrush🥀🇵🇸🇾🇪 (@OwenPaintbrush) December 30, 2020
It got worse.
David Linden (SNP) said,
If he can point out to me in the Order Paper where I am voting for no deal, I will be very happy. Will he tell me what page that is on?
Starmer could not. He could only make the vain claim that Linden was hoping to avoid the consequences of his “no” vote with the belief that the deal would be passed without his support.
The problem with that is, everybody knew that this would happen. In such circumstances it is perfectly reasonable for MPs to show their disagreement with the legislation by voting against it.
Indeed, a vote that – although positive – shows significant disagreement would leave a message for history that the legislation was controversial. Starmer’s demand for Labour to support it may be seen as an attempt to sabotage that.
Starmer getting slaughtered in the Commons. Now he's gone red and is huffing and puffing. It really should be Johnson getting this humilated.
Embarrassing.
— Chelley Ryan #EnoughIsEnough (@chelleryn99) December 30, 2020
Perhaps the knockout blow for Starmer’s credibility came from Theresa May:
.@Theresa_May says she’ll take no lectures from @Keir_Starmer.
Reminding him that a better deal was on the table and he refused to vote for it.
— James Foster (@JamesEFoster) December 30, 2020
She said:
I did listen with some incredulity to what the Leader of the Opposition said. He said he wanted a better deal. In early 2019, there was the opportunity of a better deal on the table, and he voted against it, so I will take no lectures from the Leader of the Opposition on this deal.
May is widely considered to have been the worst UK prime minister since Lord North (a dubious accolade that she inherited from her immediate forerunner, David Cameron). If that is the case, what does it say about Starmer that he allowed her to have the upper hand in this?
My anger with Starmer is not about him voting for the deal. Its his hypocrisy. Had he called on Labour to vote for May's deal which was arguably better, we would have entered that next GE as the party that respected Brexit & JC could well have become PM
Which is why he didn't
— Chelley Ryan #EnoughIsEnough (@chelleryn99) December 30, 2020
Yes. It says that his loyalties lie more with the Conservatives than with the members of his own party – the vast majority of whom wanted the Corbyn-led government that he helped to ensure could never be.
As for the threat of “no deal” – well:
When there are no Tory rebels, and the deal passes comfortably, @Keir_Starmer’s argument of “we did it to stop a ‘no deal’ Brexit” will be exposed for the lie that it is.
This deal will pass and Keir knows it.
— James Foster (@JamesEFoster) December 30, 2020
The problems with the deal – and with Keir Starmer’s demand for Labour MPs to support it – were highlighted by Clive Lewis in his speech, most of which he has repeated in this video:
Today MPs were asked to forgo our obligation and responsibility of democratic oversight, to issue this Govt a blank cheque, and rubber stamp an implementation process for a deal we’ve barely had oversight of and no chance to amend. I will play no part in supporting this process. pic.twitter.com/1Ek5IrVoO4
— Clive Lewis MP (@labourlewis) December 30, 2020
Starmer ended up in the worst of all possible worlds:
Brexit Deal passes 521 – 73
— Rachael Swindon (@Rachael_Swindon) December 30, 2020
Yes, the deal passed, which is what he wanted.
But he was made to look a fool for supporting it and the 39 Labour MPs (with or without the party whip) who did not follow him have emerged as principled, moral … and right.
Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Here are four ways to be sure you’re among the first to know what’s going on.
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (in the left margin). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
The Livingstone Presumption is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
There isn’t much hope if only 37 MPs
Voted against whot stammer the spammer
Wanted it’s looking more Blair like every day
I’ve always admired Clive Lewis and was hoping that he would have replaced Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour party. Hope he gets another opportunity.
No principles no ideas and no clue that’s the cult of new Labour 2.0 on this folks. All his lies about how he has to vote for it to prevent no deal is a lie and he knows it.
That’s why he got all offended people whould not buy into his BS and actually have an ideology and stood by it something he has never done. He can and will say one thing and do the opposite in days and he expects people to trust him? NOPE!