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WATCH Michael Gove tells MPs Labour's position on Brexit is b*****ks

Emilio Casalicchio

2 min read

Michael Gove stunned the House of Commons today after he described the Labour Party's Brexit policy as "b*****ks".


In a jibe at the opposition benches, the Environment Secretary cited a recording, leaked last year, in which Barry Gardiner used the offending term to describe Labour's own six tests.

The Shadow International Trade Secretary had said: "Well let's just take one test - the exact same benefits. B*****ks. Always has been b*****ks and it remains it.

"We know very well that we cannot have the exact same benefits and actually it would have made sense - because it was the Tories that said they were going to secure the exact same benefits - and our position should have been to say they have said they are going to secure the exact same benefits and we are going to hold them to that standard."

Mr Gove said Mr Gardiner had summed his party's own position up "pithily in a word which in Spanish translates as cajones and in English rhymes with rollocks."

He continued: "I know there are some distinguished citizens in this country who have put on their cars a poster or sticker saying 'b*****ks to Brexit' but we now know from Labour’s own frontbench that their official Brexit position is b*****ks...

"We are grateful to him - grateful to the 'constant Gardiner' for the way in which he has cast light on the testicular nature of Labour's position."

Speaker John Bercow said he "richly enjoyed" the comments by Mr Gove, and ruled that the use of the word "b*****ks" was not out of order and "a matter of taste".

Mr Gove also echoed his colleague, Justice Secretary David Gauke, in claiming that "fantasy alternatives" to Theresa May's deal were "unicorns", as he accused Labour's frontbench of having a muddled position.

“Well I have to say that the official Labour Party position is to chase a whole carnival of unicorns across the European plain - none of which are capable of being delivered,” he added.

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