Labour’s shadow foreign secretary accused of siding with EU over wrangling of Brexit trade deal

Lisa Nandy - NEIL HALL/EPA-EFE/REX 
Lisa Nandy – NEIL HALL/EPA-EFE/REX

Labour’s shadow foreign secretary has been accused of siding with the European Union over the UK in the two sides’ wrangling over a Brexit trade deal.

Lisa Nandy raised eyebrows after saying the bloc “needs to move and actually has moved” in its negotiating stance, while claiming British ministers had “lost the plot” over the talks.

She also appeared to question the Government’s refusal to sign up to Brussels’ demands on the level playing field, which Boris Johnson has said would “keep the UK locked in to whatever they want to do in terms of legislation” and thereby violate the nation’s sovereignty.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Ms Nandy said: “The sticking point that has emerged overnight in the negotiations is about whether we keep pace with the EU on workers’ rights and environmental standards.”

She added: “Now don’t forget, this is a Government that a few months ago was out on their doorsteps clapping for carers, and is now arguing that it is intolerable that if the EU decides that they want to up the pay, the conditions, the working standards of those precise people who have kept this country going during a pandemic, then we shouldn’t be beholden to that.”

Richard Holden, Tory MP for North West Durham, heaped censure on her remarks, saying: “I think it’s about time Lisa Nandy decided whose side she’s on. It’s quite clear Lisa is now backing up the EU.  It’s about the time the opposition decided whether to back Britain or the EU.”

A Labour source hit back at the Conservative Government, saying: “Promising the country a deal and then failing to deliver it is hardly patriotic.”

Sir Keir Starmer meanwhile faced calls from a former Labour MP to commit to voting in favour of any Brexit trade, security and fishing deal, if an agreement is clinched between London and Brussels in coming days.

Lord Mann, who was awarded a peerage in Theresa May’s resignation honours list and now sits as independent peer, said that Labour backing a deal would strengthen the Prime Minister’s negotiating hand.

“This sitting on the fence remains unhelpful. Labour should make clear they can see what kind of deal it would be, the parameters of it. They should be saying they’ll back it now, so Boris Johnson has certainty behind him.

“The EU would see that a deal would get straight through parliament and wouldn’t be held to ransom” by Brexiteers, he said.

source: yahoo.com