Responding to Parliament voting to take no deal off the table tonight and another Government defeat, Stephen Morgan MP said:
“A no deal would be disastrous for Portsmouth and for our nation’s economy. That’s why I’ve put party politics to one side, and put our country first, in doing all I can across the House of Commons to rule it out.
Last night the Government saw the fourth biggest defeat in our country’s history. After that resounding defeat the Prime Minister must now accept her deal is dead otherwise her Government will continue to bring uncertainty and damage to the country.
Labour has set out an alternative plan and will work with MPs from all sides to look at proposals to find a consensus, and will also put forward amendments to support a public vote.
From manufacturing to farming a no deal Brexit would be bad news for jobs, rights and living standards. Businesses and trade unions across the country have repeatedly told me about the catastrophic impact of no deal on jobs and the economy. Preparations for no-deal are costing £170,000 per hour and would cost Portsmouth 1,300 jobs.
No one voted to be poorer in 2016. For that reason, tonight I voted in Parliament to take no deal off the table”.
On extending Article 50, Mr Morgan added:
“Extending Article 50 demonstrates the failure of this Government. The PM has recklessly run down the clock on Brexit. With less than three weeks left before 29 March, extension is now inevitable”.
With regards to a public vote the city MP said:
“I have long argued that putting the decision back to the people for a final say, in a public vote, with the option to stay and keep the deal that we have, while at the same time ruling out a catastrophic no deal, is the right thing for Portsmouth.
With no majority in Parliament and no leadership in Number 10, it has to be down to a people’s vote to determine our course. How the next few weeks unfold will decide the fate of our country for generations. We can’t afford to leave it in the hands of this failing Government. People in Portsmouth must have their say”.
