15:45 10 October 2016
Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer called on MP to vote on the terms of Brexit negotiations, a move that was described by the Downing Street as “an attempt to find another way to thwart the will of the British people.” The government is set to trigger Article 50 at the end of March 2017 to officially start the process for exiting the EU.
A Downing Street source said: "While Labour are looking for ways to stop Brexit we are focused on making a success of it. Of course Parliament will have a role in the exit process, but this suggestion is simply an attempt to find another way to thwart the will of the British people."
Sir Keir said: "The referendum is clear and has to be accepted and we can't have a re-run of the question that was put to the country earlier this year.
"But, and it's a big but, there has to be democratic grip of the process and, at the moment, what the prime minister's trying to do is to manoeuvre without any scrutiny in Parliament and that's why the terms on, which we're going to negotiate absolutely have to be put to a vote in the House."
When asked for his opinion if immigration was too high or low, he replied: "I think it should be reduced, and it should be reduced by making sure we've got the skills in this country that are needed for the jobs that need to be done."