Keir Starmer hits back at SNP for backing no-deal Brexit

Keir Starmer in the House of Commons - Credit: Parliament Live

Sir Keir Starmer has hit back at the SNP, who chided the opposition leader for supporting Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal.

The Labour leader claimed that the Scottish politicians could only oppose the deal because it knew Labour were voting for it.

He told the Commons: “There’s only one choice today, which is to vote for implementing this deal or to vote for no-deal. Those that vote no, are voting for no-deal.

“This is the nub of it: those voting no today want yes. They want others to save them from their own vote. Voting no, wanting yes, that’s the truth of the situation and that’s why my party has taken a different path.”

Sir Keir said he would have negotiated a “better” deal than Boris Johnson, adding: “When the default is no-deal it’s not a mark of how pro-European you are to reject implementing this treaty.

“It isn’t in the national interest to duck a question or to hide in the knowledge that others will save you from the consequences of your own vote.

“This is a simple vote with a simple choice: do we leave the transition period with the treaty negotiated with the EU or do we leave with no-deal?

“And so Labour will vote to implement this treaty today to avoid no-deal and to put in place a floor from which we can build a strong future relationship with the EU.”

Polling in Scotland suggests that voters want MPs to back a Brexit deal over rejecting one, through the fear of a no-deal Brexit.