Manchester MP Graham Stringer called Sir Keir Starmer an “embarrassment” after the shadow Brexit Secretary delivered a speech where he confirmed that Labour would back the possibility of ditching Brexit in any future referendum.
The MP for Blackley and Broughton, a confirmed Brexiteer, told Radio 4’s Today programme
I don’t think Keir’s performance was very good, seeing him trying to unpick our manifesto commitments in public was a bit of an embarrassment.
“I think the Labour Party should carry on implementing its manifesto which is to implement the 2016 referendum and get the best terms that we can.” adding
“I think there is real electoral peril if we start going back on that commitment, not just not from many Labour Leave voters and people who voted Labour in the past and voted Leave.
“But I think there’s also a respect for democracy amongst people who voted Remain who just respect the decision and want us to get on to it because all the major party leaders gave a commitment that the referendum would be implemented.”
His comments follow Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary yesterday refusing to rule out the possibility of Labour backing a second in/out vote.
Stringer has already defied the party Whip and voted with the government on Brexit and is to have deselection procedures and a vote of no confidence triggered against him following his decisive role in a series of knife-edge votes in which Theresa May’s Conservative government survived thanks to the votes of five Labour Leavers.
