Brexit latest: McDonnell slams Javid over ‘dereliction of his duties’
The chancellor and shadow chancellor locked horns today, with Labour’s John McDonnell accusing his opposite number of a “dereliction of his duties”.
McDonnell pointed to the government’s “working majority of minus-45″, saying it was ” obvious that this Queen’s Speech is little more than a pretty crude election stunt”.
He also slammed the Tories for using “The People’s Priorities” as nothing more than “a slogan, a turn of phrase”.
“The reality, as demonstrated in this Queen’s Speech, is that after coming up to a decade of harsh and brutal austerity, a few cynical publicity stunt commitments to paper over the massive cuts to our NHS, schools and police service will go nowhere near what is needed,” McDonnell said.
“And people know that if the economy hits the buffers again, whether though Brexit or economic mismanagement by the Tories, or both. And when a choice has to be made by the Tories about who will pay, they will always protect their own, the corporations and the rich. And it will always be the people who will be burdened with cuts in services and pay – and benefit freezes.”
McDonnell also got a dig in about Javid’s former special adviser Sonia Khan, who was sacked earlier this year by Number 10 chief of staff Dominic Cummings.
“A word of advice to the chancellor and his colleagues: get a grip on Cummings before he does any more damage to our economy,” McDonnell said.
But Sajid Javid argued: “The shadow chancellor has predicted a recession almost every year since he started… I am optimistic about the future, but I am not complacent.”
He argued that a Jeremy Corbyn government would “crash the economy, as every Labour government does”.
“We have come a long way since 2010… the whole economy was scarred by Labour’s great recession, which gave us the biggest banking crash in global history.”
Javid told McDonnell that Labour had been warned deregulation would create “a field day for spivs and crooks”.
No deal for second referendum hopes (today)
Earlier in the day, the Liberal Democrats’ plan to force a second referendum on Brexit has failed before it got off the ground.
An amendment signed by all 19 Liberal Democrat MPs as well as ex-Labour independent Mike Gapes and Labour-turned-Change UK MP Joan Ryan failed to be selected by speaker John Bercow today.
It proposed that the Queen’s Speech be amended to include that government “make arrangements for a people’s vote in which the public will have the choice between the latest withdrawal agreement and remaining in the European Union”.
Pre-Christmas election prospect still high
The Queen’s Speech debate had been delayed by the government, which hoped this week would be dedicated to fast-tracking the Brexit legislation called Withdrawal Agreement Bill.
But it has returned to the Commons after MPs blocked the programme motion earlier this week, and will be voted on later this afternoon – although it is widely expected that the government will lose.
If they do so, it could trigger a vote of no confidence, which in turn could pave the way for a General Election this side of Christmas.
The Liberal Democrats have made no secret of their desire to call a second referendum, but have pledged to revoke Article 50 and call off Brexit if they win an outright majority at the next election.
The country could be heading back to the polls as early as next month, if the EU agrees to an extension until 31 January as expected.
A decision is widely expected tomorrow, although France is understood to be holding out.
Sources told City PM French President Emmanuel Macron was “hostile” to agreeing any delay, but also unwilling to accept responsibility for a no-deal Brexit.
Yesterday Labour sources confirmed that it would consider that three-month delay sufficient time in which to hold an election. However there remains some scepticism that the party would ultimately support any such move, given how badly it is doing in the polls.
According to Britain Elects, the Conservatives are 10 points ahead, on 35 per cent against Labour’s 25 per cent – worse than the party’s 1983 nadir under Michael Foot.
Liberal Democrats come third with 18 per cent.
Main image: Getty