British Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn increases pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May in the dispute over Brexit. At an event in Wakefield, England, the head of the opposition threatened in a sharp tone with a new election today: she was the „most democratic way to solve the blockade in parliament at Brexit“. „Therefore, I say to Theresa May: If you have so much faith in your agreement, then call elections and let the people decide!“ Otherwise, Labor will apply for a vote of no confidence.
Parliamentarians will vote next Tuesday on the May-Brussels deal on EU exit. An exact time is not fixed yet. Originally, MEPs should decide on the treaty as early as December. Because of the looming defeat, May had postponed the vote but on 15 January. It is still unlikely that the Brexit deal will find a majority in the lower house.
Clark appeals to pragmatism
Britain wants to leave the European Union in less than three months – on 29 March. An unregulated Brexit could lead to chaos in almost all areas of life. Economist Greg Clark also warned against the „devastating“ consequences of a Brexit without a withdrawal agreement. The conservative minister appealed to parliamentarians to „set aside differences“ and to vote for the agreement.
Britain would fall back into the „most rudimentary“ conditions in trade relations with its closest partners, said Clark on the BBC, and would be forced to trade on the basis of World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. That could mean significantly higher tariffs for some products like cars, warned Clark. „We should act in accordance with our international reputation – pragmatic and reliable,“ he urged MEPs.
