Theresa May will not be able to resist pressure to go back to the negotiating table if parliament rejects her Brexit deal with the EU, Labour’s Keir Starmer has argued.



The shadow Brexit secretary dismissed the government’s claims that MPs would only be offered a vote on the deal on a “take it or leave it” basis, meaning they could either accept the terms struck by May or proceed to Brexit without a deal at all.



“The idea the prime minister would seriously say in 2019: ‘Well, rather than go back and see if I can improve and satisfy parliament I will simply crash out’ that would be a reckless act,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Starmer said Labour had secured some important concessions from the government as MPs prepared to vote the Brexit bill through the House of Commons at its final stage on Wednesday.

It is likely to pass but about a fifth of Labour MPs will defy the party whip to vote against. All eyes will be on shadow cabinet ministers such as Clive Lewis and Diane Abbott, who are known to be uncomfortable with triggering article 50 at the final stage but would need to vote in favour to remain on the frontbench.

Lewis told the BBC on Wednesday he was still considering how to vote and whether to step down. “I’m going to make my mind up. I don’t know,” he said. “It’s my intention to do what’s right by my constituents and my conscience. It’s a really tough call.”

So far, Labour’s attempts to amend the bill have failed but there is a final potential for rebellion on Wednesday over the issue of whether the government should unilaterally guarantee the rights of EU nationals living in the UK.

Labour will again lead efforts to secure concessions but the party will vote for article 50 at third reading regardless of whether it secures any amendments.

A string of Labour backbenchers, Lib Dems and the Greens argued on Tuesday that the government’s plans for a vote at the end of two years of negotiations were not good enough.



Chris Leslie, the former shadow chancellor, whose amendment was picked for a vote on Tuesday night, said the government was still not offering a meaningful choice for MPs on its Brexit deal.

“The government’s so-called concession falls short of giving parliament a meaningful vote,” he said. “Ministers have failed to produce a new amendment, so their commitment will not be binding. The minister refused to give parliament the option to reject the deal and tell the government to go back to negotiate a better one. And on the nightmare scenario – that we could leave the EU with no deal at all, and face damaging barriers to trade with Europe – it seems parliament could have no say whatsoever.”

Angela Eagle, the former shadow cabinet minister, described the offer as a “Hobson’s choice”, meaning MPs could face a choice in two years between a hard Brexit and no deal at all.

However, Starmer said May was unlikely to come back with a deal that does not satisfy parliament in 2019, as it would be a “very serious situation” for the prime minister to be in.

“She would have to reflect on that and if it was five months to run before the deadline I think most people would say it’s reckless at that stage to throw her toys out of the pram and say I’m not even prepared to see if I can improve on what I have got,” he said.

Starmer said Labour had secured significant concessions on the timing of the vote before it goes to the European parliament, and protections for workers’ rights. “It wasn’t everything we wanted but it was new,” he said.