Jeremy Corbyn was today accused of turning Labour’s Brexit policy into a “pantomime” after he stopped short of triggering a vote of no-confidence in the Government.
The Labour leader was criticised for “pulling punches” and of allegedly adopting an “in then out, on then off” approach to such a challenge to the Government which was branded “overdue”.
Yesterday media were briefed that Mr Corbyn would call a vote of no-confidence in Theresa May if the Prime Minister did not name a date for a vote on her Brexit plans.
But when he stood up in the Commons at about 3.45pm he initially did not do so after Mrs May announced that such a vote would take place in the week starting January 14.
After more than two hours of debate, and criticism on social media of the failure to table the motion, Mr Corbyn announced he would in fact put one down. But the Government does not have to allow parliamentary time for a motion of no-confidence in the Prime Minister.
Labour could have escalated the stand-off by tabling a motion of no-confidence in the Government, for which ministers would have to find time. But party chiefs backed away from doing so before Christmas.
Shadow housing secretary John Healey signalled that Labour would make the move after the Brexit proposals are voted on, with the widespread expectation that they will be heavily defeated unless the European Union makes a significant concession over the Irish border “backstop”.
“It is still a question of when, not if, we move to confront the Government with a full vote of no-confidence,” he told the Today programme.
But campaigners for a second referendum reacted angrily as Labour’s policy is first to push for a general election, through a vote of no-confidence in the Government, and only then to consider another public vote on Brexit.
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Former Labour minister Chris Leslie said: “This feels like a pantomime on the vote: in then out, on then off. It seems the leadership will do anything including pulling its punches against the Government to avoid a People’s Vote.”
Mr Corbyn is reluctant to back another public vote amid concerns it will hit support for the party in Leave constituencies. Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery said: “We want a general election and will wait for the optimum time to lay down a motion of no-confidence. Theresa May is running scared of Parliament, and wasting precious time in doing so.”
However, Streatham MP Chuka Umunna, who backs a second referendum, said: “We need to settle the issue of whether there can be a general election to resolve the chaos so this confidence motion is overdue. If it fails we can then move straight on to holding a People’s Vote on Brexit and let the electorate decide — the only way of breaking the deadlock in Westminster.”
The farcical feel at Westminster was fuelled by chief Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg and his supporters now backing Mrs May in a confidence vote, just days after trying to kill off her premiership.
