Jeremy Corbyn warns his MPs not to back Brexit deal in exchange for constituency cash – By Aubrey Allegretti (Sky News) / Jan 31 2019
Labour’s John Mann has told Downing Street to “show us the money” but denies he is engaging in “transactional politics”.
Image: Jeremy Corbyn told Labour MPs not to back the Brexit deal
Jeremy Corbyn has warned MPs against backing Theresa May’s Brexit deal in exchange for cash for their constituencies.
A party source also told Sky News it would be “very clever of them to look at funding in coal mining areas” and revealed talk of funding for local infrastructure projects.
John Mann, MP for Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire, emerged from talks with Cabinet Office officials to demand investment for Leave-voting areas where it has traditionally been low.
But he denied it was “transaction politics” as he had already vowed to vote for the prime minister’s EU divorce deal.
Image: Labour MP John Mann told Downing Street to ‘show us the money’
Labour MP Graham Stringer told Sky News he “would not engage in that kind of discussion under any circumstances”.
“My constituency, like many others, needs a lot more investment but if she wants to do that she can do it but it will not change my voting,” he added.
The suggestion was also sternly rebuffed by Mr Corbyn, who said MPs should always “demand appropriate resources for their constituencies” but the best way to get them was to push for a Labour government.
Image: Theresa May could offer MPs’ cash for their constituencies
“Many, particularly from mining areas, have been disgracefully treated by this Tory government and indeed previous ones – ever since the miners’ strike in the 1980s,” he said.
“Clearly, there has to be investment in those communities, but the Brexit plan proposed by Theresa May doesn’t solve that any more than the government’s austerity programme is going to solve any of that.
“I simply say to people, if you voted Leave or voted Remain, your need for a government who will invest in your communities are exactly the same.”
Mrs May hopes to head back to Brussels to renegotiate the most controversial part of her divorce deal with the EU, known as the “backstop”.
The backstop is an insurance policy which means that, should the UK and EU be unable to reach an agreement on trade, Northern Ireland would continue to abide by EU regulations indefinitely to avoid a hard border.
EU chiefs have already ruled out changing the deal, which was reached in November.
European Council President Donald Tusk’s spokesperson said on Tuesday: “The backstop is part of the withdrawal agreement, and the withdrawal agreement is not open for re-negotiation.”
