Sir Keir Starmer has mocked Boris Johnson’s “Get Brexit Done” slogan while taking a dig at trade talks during this week’s Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs).
Sir Keir took the opportunity to question the prime minister on Brexit negotiations via teleconference after having been forced to self-isolate.
He said: “12 months ago, he told the British people he had an ‘oven-ready’ deal. He didn’t say how he had half a deal. He didn’t say the next stage will be very, very difficult. In fact, he told the British people, and this was before the election, and these were his words: ‘The chances of no-deal were absolutely zero’.
“The now chancellor obviously took him to his word because the chancellor said in the lead up to the election: ‘We won’t need to plan for no-deal because we have a deal’.
“So a year on, why should anyone who trusted the prime minister, when he said he had a deal, including his chancellor apparently, believe a word he says now.”
Johnson replied: “Let’s be in no doubt he had an oven-ready deal which was the Withdrawal Agreement, which the people voted for, by which this country left the single market, left the customs union.
Johnson went on to list several “benefits” of leaving the EU.
Sir Keir replied: “I see, Mr Speaker, that ‘Get Brexit Done’ was only the first part of it. The easy bit.
“I don’t remember that being written on the bulldozer at the time.”
Most popular
Alastair Campbell’s Diary: Disappointing Greta Thunberg and a night out with the Kinnocks
Mandrake: Facing the fury of Nadine Dorries
