JEREMY Corbyn offered Theresa May a deal over Brexit yesterday, telling the Prime Minister his MPs could be persuaded to back her in the Commons if she came back from Brussels with an agreement that included “a customs union and no hard border in Ireland”.
Given that accepting those terms would force the Tory leader to cross some of her own red lines, it seems unlikely – but with May already having lost the support of many of her own backbenchers, it could be the only way she will avoid defeat.
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Corbyn reached out to May during his address at the end of his party’s conference setting out the terms of that deal.
“If you deliver a deal that includes a customs union and no hard border in Ireland, if you protect jobs, people’s rights at work and environmental and consumer standards – then we will support that sensible deal,” he said.
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The get-together in Liverpool has been dominated by both Brexit and the certainty among party members that another snap election is now inevitable.
In his keynote speech, Corbyn told delegates that if the Prime Minister refused his offer and lost the vote in the Commons, then she would be forced to stand down and go to the country.
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Although the party committed to supporting a “people’s vote” on Tuesday if that doesn’t happen and there is no election, there has been some uncertainty over what that actually means.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has argued it should be asking the public if they want to accept May’s deal, while shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer won a standing ovation for telling conference that remaining in the EU would be an option.
Corbyn praised both men in his speech, and indicated that getting the “best deal” for Brexit was Labour’s priority.
However, he added “all options” would be on the table.
“The Tory Brexiteers unite the politics of the 1950s with the economics of the 19th century, daydreaming about a Britannia that both rules the waves and waives the rules,” he joked, adding: “Our priority is clear – we aim to get the best Brexit deal for jobs and living standards to underpin our plans to upgrade the economy and invest in every community and region.”
Labour, he added, would vote “against the Chequers plan or whatever is left of it and oppose leaving the EU with no deal. And it is inconceivable that we should crash out of Europe with no deal – that would be a national disaster.”
“That is why if Parliament votes down a Tory deal or the government fails to reach any deal at all we would press for a General Election.
“Failing that, all options are on the table.”
His speech was both a pitch to voters, with the announcement of a number of left-leaning policies, and a pitch to party members to put aside the infighting that has dominated Labour politics for the last three years.
There was also a bid to “draw a line” under the furious anti-semitism battle, and an admission that the row had “caused immense hurt and anxiety in the Jewish community”.
Corbyn promised Labour would be an “ally” of the community.
But he also made clear that being an ally was compatible with criticising the Israeli government, as he condemned the detention of Palestinian children as an “outrage”.
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