3 July 2019 | UK NEWS
Outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May has advised her successor to act always within the UK’s “best interests”, speaking in the House of Commons today. She was responding to a question at PMQs from Sir Edward Leigh, a former Tory Minister, who asked her to offer advice to her successor in dealing with the European Union.
Mrs May said that she continued to believe it was in the “best interests” of the country to leave the EU “with a good deal”, and said that her successor should “act at all times in the best interests” of the UK. She added: “I have always believed that no deal was better than a bad deal, but I believed we negotiated a good deal. The advice I would give to my successor is to act at all times in the best interests of this country. I believe it’s in our best interests to be able to leave the European Union with a good deal but it is up to my successor to find a majority in this House to enable us to leave the European Union.”
The exchange in the Commons earlier today preceded a heavy defeat for the Government tonight in the Lords, over a vote on whether or not there should be an enquiry into the ramifications of a no-deal Brexit. The Opposition motion was approved in the Upper House by 245 votes to 99 – a majority of 146 – and aimed to set up a joint committee between both Houses to investigate the full implications, along with the costs, of the UK leaving the EU without a deal. However, the Government is not obliged to act upon the vote.
The Labour Leader in the Lords, Baroness Smith of Basildon, described such a scenario as the “worst of all outcomes”, which now “looms as a real possibility” as opposed to “a mere bargaining chip” previously, adding that “we cannot accept marching towards the cliff-edge without having an up-to-date assessment of what lurks beyond. With or without Government support, I urge the House to support this proposal to provide the Commons an opportunity to consider its merits and continue working to avoid the worst of all outcomes – a chaotic, damaging no-deal Brexit.”
However, Lord Callanan, a Government Brexit Minister, objected to the motion, saying: “The possibility of the UK exiting the EU without a deal has been effectively on the table ever since Parliament voted to support the triggering of Article 50. While the Government continues to believe leaving the EU with a deal is the best outcome it is a fact that the Commons has rejected leaving on the terms we have negotiated three times. Without a withdrawal agreement having been agreed, leaving without a deal remains the legal default at the end of October 31.”
Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn has met with Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet Secretary, to demand an independent enquiry into reports that senior Civil Service officials had briefed that he was not “physically or mentally” up to the role of Prime Minister, in a story that broke in The Times over the weekend. He was accompanied by Jon Trickett, the Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office.
The discussion, which took place in the Labour leader’s Westminster office, was described by a party spokesman as “frank and detailed, with a full exchange of views”, adding that “the seriousness of the Civil Service breach and the evident malicious intent behind it was acknowledged by all participants in the meeting.” He further described the incident as “entirely unacceptable” and “unprecedented in recent times”.
It was later confirmed that Downing Street had commented that a Civil Service investigation was the correct way to proceed, while Labour Party sources also indicated that there would be “an independent element” to the enquiry and it would report as soon as possible.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Civil Service is responsible for looking into any potential breaches of the Civil Service Code and this is no different. If we are able to identify any individual responsible we will take appropriate disciplinary action.”
In the newspapers today, we read in The Express that SNP MEPs refused to stand while the Ode to Joy was played in the European Parliament yesterday. They reportedly did so in solidarity with Catalan MEPs who were unable to take up their seats. The news comes as Brexit Party MEPs were also criticised for standing but turning their backs during the performance.
The Mirror also carries a story reporting that the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, has decried the two leadership contenders’ commitments to a no-deal Brexit if necessary, saying that this would lead to a £90 billion hit to the UK economy and leave “no money available” for the next Prime Minister’s Government.
