Ian Lavery MP, Labour Party Chair, responding to John Baron’s admission that the government’s Brexit plan “means we could leave on no-deal terms next year”, said:

“The cat has been let out of the bag.

“No one should be in any doubt that Johnson’s deal is just seen an interim arrangement, before the radical Thatcherites who dominate the party use it to slash workers’ rights, environmental protections and count down the days to get to their dream ending of a job-destroying No Deal Brexit.”

Ends

Notes to editors

John Baron MP told Victoria Derbyshire this morning:

“The reason I am inclined to vote for this one is very simple. Theresa May’s backstop could have had us locked into that arrangement indefinitely. Boris Johnson has torn up that backstop.

“Which means that if the trade talks are not successful after we hopefully agree the deal tomorrow here – if those trade talks are not successful up to December 2020, that’s how long they could take – then we could leave on No Deal terms.

“And the reason that’s important is, by leaving No Deal on the table, it makes a good trade deal in those negotiations up to December 2020 more likely to succeed.”

He added:

“All I can share with you is this: I am doing my best to persuade colleagues – the so-called Spartans who, like me, voted three times against Theresa May’s deal – to look at this in a favourable light.

“Because provided we can get that clear assurance – and I have been given it so far by people like Michael Gove and Dominic Raab, but I’m hoping to get it from the Prime Minister tomorrow – that we will be leaving after the trade talks. If those trade talks fail up to December 2020, we will be leaving on No Deal terms.

“As long as we can get that assurance, and I think we have done, then we’ll be supporting the deal tomorrow.”