Boris Johnson has promised his deal isn’t a race to the bottom on workers’ rights – in a bid to woo Labour MPs ahead of a crunch vote on his Brexit deal.
But last night Labour branded an offer by his government an “empty gesture not worth the paper it is printed on”.
Ahead of the vote to pass his deal Mr Johnson insisted the agreement did not signal a “race to the bottom” and would allow the UK to toughen regulations on animal rights and environmental standards – and protect workers.
But unions and the Labour party have branded Mr Johnson’s deal a “massive step backwards” for employment protections.
The Government said that in future, ministers will make a statement explaining where any new Bills could affect employment rights, and compatibility with EU standards.
And the Government will be obliged to report regularly on new EU measures and whether the UK plans to take action to mirror them.
The move would be subject to a vote by MPs.
A Government spokesman said: “We will also consult on improving unfair dismissal protections, including reducing the qualifying period from two years to one year, and addressing any anomalies in the employee terms and conditions following a business takeover.”
But Labour’s Shadow Employment Minister Laura Pidcock said: “If Boris Johnson was committed to workers’ rights and environmental rights he wouldn’t have spent the last few weeks removing legally-binding commitments from the Withdrawal Agreement.
“The reality is that when MPs vote they will still be voting on a sell out Tory deal that provides no guarantees on these fundamental rights and would lead to a race-to-the-bottom on conditions for workers across the country and would worsen the climate crisis.”
(Image: Anthony Harvey/REX)
Labour’s leadership was tight lipped on Friday as Leave leaning MPs were wooed by the government – with six MPs already saying they’ll vote with the PM.
Eight are believed to be in play.
John McDonnell said there would be “consequences” for MPs in his party who voted for Mr Johnson’s Withdrawal Agreement, but would not say whether that included having the whip removed.
“This is a three-line whip and the chief whip, in the normal way, will determine the consequences for anyone who doesn’t vote for it,” the shadow chancellor told the BBC.
Asked what they might be, he replied: “I’m not the chief whip thank goodness; I’ve got enough on my plate.”
Mr McDonnell said he did not think Labour MPs would go through the Government lobby on Saturday once they studied the detail of the deal.
“I don’t believe there are Labour MPs out there who will not think through the detail of this deal and then when they see the impact, particularly environmental, consumers’ and workers’ rights, will vote for it,” Jeremy Corbyn’s right-hand man added.
But SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon warned that Labour will “never be forgiven” if they let party rebels deliver Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal on a “nod and a wink” from party chiefs.
(Image: PA)
She warned that voting for the deal “would be the end for Labour in Scotland” as she pledged her MPs would never vote to deliver the PM’s deal.
Ms Sturgeon said: “This is a worse deal that Theresa May’s in every way.””It puts Scotland at a competitive disadvantage,” she added.Ms Sturgeon confirmed her party would back a second referendum or an election.
Mr Johnson told ITV News that his deal “busts” the UK out of the Northern Ireland backstop agreed by his predecessor Theresa May .
Pressed on whether he could rally MPs to back his Brexit deal, Mr Johnson said: “I think there is a is a very clear case for all of us to get this done and that is because, I don’t know what you feel, but I sense from my own constituents in Uxbridge, and across the country people want us to deliver now and parliamentarians whether they’re Labour, Lib Dems, Plaid, Scottish nationalists we all want to, or DUP we all want to move on.”
Asked whether Saturday’s vote was the biggest thing he has done professionally, the PM said: “Well I wouldn’t deny that, I think it’s a very big moment for our country.
“But also its a big moment for our democracy and parliamentarians because I do think we have a choice, which is we have to consider how long we can delay and seem to frustrate what was a pretty clear democratic expression of the will of the people and I think that it would be a great and a fine thing if we could get it done and come together tomorrow.”
