By Eric King-
Mayors from four parts of the Uk have called on Theresa May not to play poker with people’s lives. Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham led other Labour leaders in an open letter warning MPs and politicians to stop ‘playing poker with people’s lives’.
The letter which also called for Article 50 to be extended if MPs failed to approve a deal today to ‘stop the clock ticking’ and avoid leaving the EU without a deal. ‘Crashing out’ of the EU ‘is not an option’ for local economies Greater Manchester mayor Mr Burnham said in the letter. The letter which was signed by Mr Khan, Liverpool mayor Steve Rotherham and Newcastle council leader Nick Forbes said:
“It is unacceptable to play poker like this with people’s livelihoods and public services.
“Political posturing risks crashing us out of the EU without a deal. Our economy simply isn’t prepared.
“It is time to step back from the brink, and take no-deal off the table for good.”
‘For our great cities and their surrounding towns and communities, a no-deal Brexit would be an economic disaster. ‘It would mean losing growth, losing jobs, and losing money. ‘It is unacceptable to play poker like this with people’s livelihoods and with their public services.’
Mr Burnham argued that with 73 days left until Britain is meant to leave Europe, small businesses have been unable to prepare because of ‘continued uncertainty about our future relationship with the EU.’ He said the impact has been felt more by small and medium-sized companies too busy with staying afloat to ‘endlessly scenario-plan’.
Burnham said that nearly a third of small businesses ‘wouldn’t even know where to start’ in planning for a no-deal brexit. ‘We cannot stand by while political posturing risks crashing us out of the EU without a deal,’ he said. ‘Our economy simply isn’t prepared. It is time to step back from the brink, and take no-deal off the table for good. ‘If necessary, the government must stop the clock ticking rather than head towards a disastrous and self-inflicted no-deal Brexit by default.
Mps began debating various elements to the proposed Brexit deal, with ministers closely examining several aspects of the proposed deal, in particular, the Irish back stop deal.