Labour MP says she would prefer a coalition with Brexit Party rather than Lib Dems

A Labour MP has said she would prefer to enter into a coalition with the Brexit Party rather than the Lib Dems.



Emma Lewell-Buck said she "could not go into league" with a party committed to overturning the result of the 2016 referendum.

The South Shields MP, who was sacked from the Labour frontbench for voting against a second EU referendum, was offered a choice between the Brexit Party and Lib Dems as coalition partners during an interview for ITV's 'Acting Prime Minister' podcast.

She said: "I will be vilified for this, but the Brexit Party.

"Even though I despise everything they stand for, I could not go into league with somebody who wants to revoke Article 50.

"It makes me feel sick saying that, but looking at it, yeah."

Ms Lewell-Buck, who became a Labour MP following a by-election in 2013, was criticised by Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson.

She tweeted: "This is really disturbing. Nigel Farage openly stokes racism, hatred and division, but some people in the Labour Party are so determined to deliver Brexit they’d put him in Government."

Rania Ramli, the chair of Labour Students, said: "Labour members will be extremely disappointed at the idea that a Labour MP would consider that putting the vile Farage into power would be an acceptable outcome in any circumstance.

"Labour values are those of openness and internationalism – which is why three-quarters or more want the UK to stay in the EU – and the fact that a Labour MP is prepared to consider putting the Brexit Party into office will dismay our voters all over the UK."

Speaking to her local paper, the South Shields Gazette, Ms Lewell-Buck said she had received "hate and abuse" for her comments on the podcast.

She said: "It shouldn’t come as a shock to them that I’d want to deliver the outcome of the referendum.

"For me, it was a fantasy question ... but I opted to go with the party who appears to be supporting delivering the outcome. The notion that I would ever make that decision in reality and be in a position to make that decision is laughable."