Jeremy Corbyn finally attacks Theresa May's 'no energy and no plan' for Brexit at pre-Budget PMQs
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Loading... - Jen Murphy
- 22 Nov 2020
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Jeremy Corbyn finally attacked Theresa May on the government's bungling Brexit plan at Prime Minister's Questions today, after months avoiding the subject.
He attacked the Prime Minister over divisions in her cabinet on Europe, and for going into the negotiations with "no strategy to deliver a good Brexit for Britain."
But Mrs May hit back, accusing Corbyn of "talking down our country."
Tory MPs erupted in laughter as Corbyn boomed: "When it comes to Brexit, this government is a shambles.
"Seventeen months after the referendum, they say there can be no hard border, but haven't worked out how. They say they will protect workers rights, then vote against it. They say they'll protect environmental rights, then vote against it. They promise action on tax avoidance then vote against it time and time again.
"And once again the Foreign Secretary offers his opinions, as does the Environment Secretary, saying there is "insufficient energy" going into these Brexit negotiations."
He left Mrs May with a question: "Isn't the truth that this government has no energy, no agreed plan and no strategy to deliver a good Brexit for Britain?"
The Prime Minister insisted it had been Labour who refused to let tax avoidance measures to go through in a bill before the election.
And she responded with a counter to Corbyn's attack on her divided top team.
She said: "I remind him that on Monday when we were putting through [an] important piece of legislation on customs and taxation and Europe, 76 Labour MPs voted in a different lobby from his front bench.
"The party in this Commons that has no clue on Brexit is the Labour Party , but week in and week out the right honourable gentleman comes to this house and talks down our country and is pessimistic about our future.
"Let me tell him. I'm optimistic about our future. I'm optimistic about the success we can make of Brexit. I'm optimistic about the jobs that can be created. I'm optimistic about the homes we can build.
"That's Conservatives building a Britain fit for the future, all he can offer is a blast from the past."
The rowdy session of PMQs came directly before Chancellor Philip Hammond was set to deliver his first Autumn Budget - the title of which is "A Britain Fit for the Future."
