This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49998384
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Boris Johnson is 'using Queen to deliver party broadcast' | Boris Johnson is 'using Queen to deliver party broadcast' |
(32 minutes later) | |
The PM is "using the Queen to deliver a pre-election party political broadcast", Jeremy Corbyn has said. | |
The Labour leader called holding a Queen's Speech, which is due to take place on 14 October, before an expected election a "cynical stunt" in a speech. | |
And he said he is "champing at the bit" to have an election once a no-deal Brexit is taken "off the table". | |
The Queen's Speech allows the government to outline its priorities at the start of a parliamentary year. | The Queen's Speech allows the government to outline its priorities at the start of a parliamentary year. |
However, speaking in Northampton, Mr Corbyn described the event as "a farce" with the government "setting out an agenda to Parliament that it has no intention or means of delivering". | |
"This government isn't going to put any legislation before Parliament. | "This government isn't going to put any legislation before Parliament. |
"It has a majority of minus 45, a 100% record of defeat in the Commons and is seeking a general election which will end the parliamentary session the Queen is about to open." | "It has a majority of minus 45, a 100% record of defeat in the Commons and is seeking a general election which will end the parliamentary session the Queen is about to open." |
'Trust' | 'Trust' |
The Labour leader also said he wants a general election, once the possibility of a no-deal Brexit is removed. | |
Last month, MPs passed legislation known as the Benn Act, which requires the government to seek an extension to the negotiating process, if a deal with the EU is not agreed, or no-deal is agreed to, before 19 October. | Last month, MPs passed legislation known as the Benn Act, which requires the government to seek an extension to the negotiating process, if a deal with the EU is not agreed, or no-deal is agreed to, before 19 October. |
But the Labour leader argued that Boris Johnson cannot be trusted to do this. | |
"Prime minister, we can't trust you not to break the law because you've got form," he said. | |
"We can't trust you not to use the period of an election campaign to drive our country off a no-deal cliff edge that will crash our economy, destroy jobs and industries, cause shortages of medicine and food and endanger peace in Northern Ireland. | "We can't trust you not to use the period of an election campaign to drive our country off a no-deal cliff edge that will crash our economy, destroy jobs and industries, cause shortages of medicine and food and endanger peace in Northern Ireland. |
"So it's simple: obey the law, take no-deal off the table and then let's have the election. | "So it's simple: obey the law, take no-deal off the table and then let's have the election. |
"There's only one reason it hasn't happened yet - we can't trust you." | "There's only one reason it hasn't happened yet - we can't trust you." |
Mr Johnson has tried to call a general election arguing it would break the Brexit impasse - a move which has been rejected by opposition MPs. | Mr Johnson has tried to call a general election arguing it would break the Brexit impasse - a move which has been rejected by opposition MPs. |
During his speech, Mr Corbyn also set out his plans for an alternative Queen's Speech describing it as "the most radical of modern times". | |
It would include a referendum on Brexit, a £10 an hour minimum wage, a ban on fracking, scrapping tuition fees and free prescriptions. | |
Meanwhile, Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry has said she could "see the sense" in having another referendum on Brexit before a general election. | |
Asked if she was lobbying Mr Corbyn to support such a vote before a general election, she said: "A number of us are trying to think of a way through this." |