Labour to propose no-confidence vote as ‘fail-safe’ way to stop no-deal Brexit

The Labour Party is proposing a no-confidence vote in Parliament to dethrone Boris Johnson and force new elections. The strategy has been billed as a “fail-safe” way of preventing a no-deal Brexit from moving forward.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will meet with leaders of other political parties on Tuesday to discuss the looming October 31 Brexit deadline – and how to ensure Britain doesn’t leave the EU without a deal.

“We are offering a fail-safe procedure in order to stop no deal, and that is by a vote of no confidence in the government, a temporary government to set up a general election,” Labour’s trade spokesman Barry Gardiner told Sky News on Sunday. He said that Labour wanted new elections so it could offer to hold a second Brexit referendum, which would include options to leave the EU with a deal or remain in the bloc.

In order for the scheme to work, Labour will have to join forces with other opposition parties. The Conservatives currently hold 311 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons, while Labour has only 247.

If Labour succeeds in organizing the vote, it would mark the second time in a little over half a year that Corbyn has tested Parliament’s confidence in the government. In January, the Labour leader put forward a motion of no confidence in the government of Theresa May. The motion was narrowly defeated, but May resigned months later amid Conservative disillusionment over her handling of Brexit.

Johnson, who replaced May as prime minister in July, has vowed that Britain will leave the European Union, with or without a deal, by the current October 31 deadline.

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