WATCH: Diane Abbott says Labour is prepared to drop all its red lines if Theresa May takes no-deal off table
2 min read
Diane Abbott has suggested that Labour is willing to drop its red lines on Brexit in exchange for Theresa May taking the prospect of no-deal off the table.
The Shadow Home Secretary said her party was "prepared to be flexible on everything" in the search for an agreement which could win the support of most MPs.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been criticised for refusing to enter talks with the Prime Minister unless she says a no-deal Brexit is "off the table".
But appearing on Question Time, Ms Abbott suggested Labour was willing to compromise to break the deadlock.
She said: "Unlike the Prime Minister, we are prepared to be flexible on everything.”
The frontbencher added "What we want… is a deal which is in the best interests of the entire country. We are not being rigid like the Prime Minister. The only thing we are saying is she has to take no-deal off the table."
Labour had committed to voting down any plans put forward by the Prime Minister if it did not meet six tests, which called for any deal to deliver the “exact same benefits” as the UK currently receives from being a member of the single market and customs union.
Asked if her party would be willing to give ground on the policy, Ms Abbott said: “We are happy to talk to the government about some sort of movement.
“The only thing that we have said, and it is not popular with this audience, but I assure you it is popular with business, is that you have to rule out no-deal.”
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