The shadow foreign secretary declared Theresa May’s efforts to quit the European Union a “shambles” as Labour’s Brexit spokesman started to speak in the House of Commons.Sir Keir, the shadow Brexit secretary, was asking David Davis an urgent question after Brexit negotiations seemingly broke down while trying to conclude a deal for the Irish border.The Prime Minister reportedly ended negotiations with Jean-Claude Juncker to contact DUP leader Arlene Foster after a proposed Irish border deal was leaked to the press.
PARL.TVBrexit news: Emily Thornberry interrupts colleague's speech to attack Brexit
Shambles
Emily Thornberry
Addressing the Brexit Secretary, Sir Keir said: “Mr Speaker, what an embarrassment…”However, as the Labour benches jeered their Conservative counterparts, Ms Thornberry couldn’t help but offer her own interjection.She yelled: “Shambles!” before her colleague could continue his own speech.
Sir Keir continued: “The last 24 hours have given a new meaning to the phrase, ‘coalition of chaos’.“Yesterday morning, No.10 was briefing a deal would be signed, there was a high expectation that the Prime Minister would make a triumphant statement to the House.“By tea time, we had a 49-second press conference saying the deal was off. It’s one thing to go to Brussels and fall out with those on the other side of the negotiating table. It’s quite another thing to go to Brussels and fall out with those supposedly on your own side.”Mr Davis mocked his opposite number for being “repetitive” with each of his Brexit speeches in the House of Commons.
The Brexit Secretary added: “Let’s start with this issue of single market and customs union, I’m glad to see the shadow chancellor is sitting there because he said staying in the single market would be interpreted as not respecting the referendum result, earlier this year.“And, the shadow international trade secretary – I can’t see him – said a permanent customs union is deeply unattractive, and the transitional phase might have some merit, but as an endpoint is deeply unattractive. In fact, he later described it as a ‘disaster’.”Mr Davis concluded that Labour's own policy on Brexit had changed about “ten times” this year alone.
Related articles
Former Brexit minister says DUP did Brexiteers a favour
Hammond SILENT on whether Theresa May can win over DUP for Brexit deal
PM hinted at key Brexit concession over EU regulations in Florence
