Ed Miliband dismantles defence of 'oven-ready' Brexit pledge

Ed Miliband appears on The Andrew Marr Show - Credit: BBC

Ed Miliband has dismantled Andrew Marr’s defence of Boris Johnson’s ‘oven-ready’ Brexit pledge that was made during the general election campaign.

Referring to a clip of Johnson at Nissan days before the vote, he said that Marr’s claim this only related to the Withdrawal Agreement was “nonsense”.

He explained: “He went to Nissan in Sunderland – very sensitive in relation to no deal because they say their presence might be unsustainable here – he said he had a deal ready to go to protect supply chains.

“This nonsense that the oven-ready deal was only in relation to the Withdrawal Agreement, it’s absolute nonsense.

“He has been cavalier. This is a man who is cavalier with our national interest and frankly Andrew, he is playing Russian roulette with the jobs and livelihoods of people up and down the country.

“How dare he say it’ll be a wonderful outcome when we know the impact (of a no-deal) on our farmers.”

But Marr interjected to claim: “The specific comment about oven-ready deal was with the Withdrawal Agreement, and he then added to it bits of the trade agreement as well.”

Miliband continued: “No, I’m sorry, I’m going to correct you on this because he went to Nissan. A year ago on the 10th December.”

The presenter replied: “I’ve seen the clip, I’ve watched it myself.”

The former Labour leader responded: “Yes, exactly, good and he said ‘ready to go’. He said to those workers he had a deal ‘ready to go’. So where is the deal?”

He continued: “I think it is ideological Andrew, this, I think people have to understand this. This is about the vision of the country we have in the future.

“Do we want a country with high standards on the environment, high standards on workers’ rights, or do we want a country where we race to the bottom, where we try and deregulate our way to economic success?

“It is about the vision of Britain this, it is in the end about what vision you have of the country and I say we don’t deregulate our way to economic success.”

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner tweeted: “On #Marr (Ed Miliband) absolutely right to tell (Boris Johnson) to stand up for our national interest, not for the right-wing ideologues in the Tory Party who want No Deal.

“The reality is that Johnson doesn’t care about the impact of No Deal because it won’t impact on him.”

Jonathan Lis posted: “We began our biggest ever mistake not in 2016 but 2015.”