Brexit day: Theresa May's plans are 'reckless and damaging,' says Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn responds to Theresa May's statement triggering Brexit

Mark Chandler29 March 2017

Theresa May's plans for Brexit are "reckless and damaging", Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said today after the Prime Minister formally triggered divorce proceedings with Brussels.

The Labour leader said Mrs May and her Government must "listen, consult and represent the whole country" as the UK negotiates its departure from the European Union over the next two years.

Mr Corbyn also said his party would not give the Prime Minister a "free hand" to use Brexit to attack rights and cut services.

A letter signed by Mrs May on Tuesday setting out the UK's desire to leave the EU was handed over to European Council president Donald Tusk on Wednesday lunchtime, invoking Article 50.

Article 50 triggered: What happens now?

The UK and the EU now have two years to negotiate a Brexit settlement.

Mr Corbyn told Mrs May that settlement must reflect the needs of the whole nation rather than just the Brexiteer MPs on the Government benches.

He said: "If the Prime Minister is to unite the country as she says she aims to do, the Government needs to listen, consult and represent the whole country, not just the hard line Tory ideologues on her own benches."

He added: "The direction the Prime Minister is threatening to take this country in is both reckless and damaging.

"Labour will not give this Government a free hand to use Brexit to attack rights, protections and cut services."

Brexit Day: Theresa May delivers her statement to the House of Commons

Mr Corbyn warned Mrs May that returning from Brussels at the end of the two-year period without a deal would have dire consequences for the UK.

He said: "It would be a national failure of historic proportions if the Prime Minister comes back from Brussels without having secured protection for jobs and living standards.

We're leaving EU: Britain's permanent representative to the EU Tim Barrow delivers British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit letter in notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 to EU Council President Donald Tusk

AFP/Getty Images

"We will use every parliamentary opportunity to ensure this Government is held to account at every stage of the negotiations."

Mr Corbyn also said the UK needed to retain full access to the single market to protect the UK economy.

"We all have an interest in ensuring the Prime Minister gets the best deal for this country," he said.

"To safeguard jobs, living standards, we do need full access to the single market."

Reporting by PA