A Conservative MP crossed the aisle Thursday to support an opposition proposal to prevent the “generational damage” which he claims would be the outcome of a no-deal Brexit, reported the Independent.
Guto Bebb has declared that he would be willing to temporarily make Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn prime minister in order to prevent a no-deal Brexit.
“I certainly take the view that a short-term Jeremy Corbyn government is less damaging than the generational damage that would be caused by a no-deal Brexit”, he said.
Bebb also criticised other parties and MPs who claim to oppose a crash-out Brexit, yet have rejected the Labour leader’s offer to call a vote of no confidence in Johnson's government.
“Those who have said they will do anything necessary to stop the long-term damage of a no-deal exit must take seriously this type of offer”, said Bebb.
The offer from Labour includes a cross-party vote to bring down the government to ensure that leaving the EU with no trade agreement is impossible.
To be clear - @theSNP remains willing to work across party lines and explore all options to stop a no deal Brexit. Jeremy Corbyn’s suggestion is not the only possible option - but given the circumstances, nothing should be ruled out at this stage. @joswinson should rethink. https://t.co/n7npDMo0bu
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) August 15, 2019
The Liberal Democrats have branded the offer “nonsense” and have ruled out putting Corbyn in Downing Street, claiming that he is "untrustworthy", according to the party's leader, Jo Swinson, who was herself criticised for being part of former Prime Minister David Cameron Conservative-Liberal Democrat Cabinet between 2010 and 2015.
But the Lib Dem leader did say that she would be willing to meet Corbyn to discuss who would best be able to command a majority in Parliament, including Conservative MPs.
I’ve offered to meet Jeremy Corbyn to discuss how we can work together on a deliverable plan to stop no-deal, including the option of uniting behind an MP who can command a majority in the House.
— Jo Swinson (@joswinson) August 15, 2019
Liberal Democrat MP Chuka Umunna, formerly of Labour and then Change UK, spoke on "Newsnight" on Thursday and rejected the proposal, saying that Corbyn "cannot command the confidence of his own MPs, never mind a majority in the House of Commons".
Emma: “yes, no or maybe from the Lib Dems?”
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) August 14, 2019
“no because he cannot command the confidence of his own MPs never mind a majority in the House of Commons.”
@ChukkaUmunna says @LibDems won't back a Labour vote of no confidence in @BorisJohnson and a Corbyn-led caretaker government pic.twitter.com/kyBwb8PEzp
This follows an appearance on the BBC's "The World Tonight" in which Umunna told the Labour leader to "put his ego to one side and support the cause".
Leaders of both the Scottish National Party and the Green Party have said they would be willing to help establish a caretaker Corbyn government to prevent a no-deal Brexit.
To be clear - @theSNP remains willing to work across party lines and explore all options to stop a no deal Brexit. Jeremy Corbyn’s suggestion is not the only possible option - but given the circumstances, nothing should be ruled out at this stage. @joswinson should rethink. https://t.co/n7npDMo0bu
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) August 15, 2019
The offer comes after the Tory-DUP governing majority was reduced to just a single seat following the Liberal Democrat victory in the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election at the beginning of August.
As a result, any vote of no confidence in the newly-established Johnson government would ultimately rely on Conservative rebels and Liberal Democrats, who have historically opposed the idea of a socialist Labour government.
Labour has suffered electorally in the EU and local elections at the hands of the Liberal Democrats, who have criticised Labour for not being clear in its Brexit position.
