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Labour seeking to block Boris Johnson's general election move

Labour seeking to block Boris Johnson's general election move

The British Labour Party is going to block Boris Johnson's attempt to seek a general election in the UK.

Jeremy Corbyn last night said he wants a no-deal withdrawal from the EU to be taken off the table before it backs a snap poll.

MPs are to vote on the Brexit delay bill today, and if it passes, the vote on whether to hold an election will follow.

However, unless two-thirds of the Commons back an election it cannot be called - which looks unlikely, given Labour's opposition.

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Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer believes Mr Johnson might move the date of the poll, so the UK slips into a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Starmer said: "It's that level of dishonesty that seeps into a distrust.

"The whole of the opposition and a number of what were Tory MPs until last night just don't trust him."

Mr Starmer said the British Prime Minister is “destroying” his own party after withdrawing the whip from 21 Tory rebels.

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He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “To be honest, removing the whip from well-regarded Tory MPs that have served their party for years amounts to Johnson and Cummings destroying their own party. That will not end well.”

The shadow cabinet member dismissed talk of him leading a government if opposition parties asked him to attempt to coordinate a majority, should they look to bypass Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The MP for Holborn and St Pancras said: “Let me be very clear. If we win a vote of no confidence then it is for Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Opposition to seek to form a Government. That is the tradition in the country, it is the right thing to do. It is what Jeremy Corbyn wants to do and he is right to have that ambition.”

He said Labour would continue to push for a referendum on any Brexit deal which would include the “option to remain”.

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“I don’t think we can break the impasse now without going back to the public to say: ‘Do we have your position to leave on these terms, or would you rather remain?'” he added.

Mr Starmer's colleague Richard Burgon, who is the Shadow Justice Secretary, also said Mr Johnson is untrustworthy.

Mr Burgon said: "Obviously it's a defeat for Boris Johnson, I really think that if anything is possible, but I think more and more people in parliament, regardless of party, and in the country are learning the lesson that you can't trust Boris Johnson."

Independent MP Nick Boles, formerly of the Conservatives, said he would back plans put forward by 17 Labour MPs which would see Theresa May’s deal put to Parliament again.

He tweeted: “This is a very constructive set of amendments. I will be supporting them this afternoon and urge all MPs who want to see a sensible Brexit deal that protects jobs and livelihoods to vote for them too.”

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