Sir Keir Starmer says Brexit deal 'can be done' as UK approaches deadline

12 October 2020, 12:05 | Updated: 12 October 2020, 12:19

Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer told LBC that a Brexit deal is still possible
Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer told LBC that a Brexit deal is still possible. Picture: LBC
Ewan Quayle

By Ewan Quayle

The Labour Leader has told LBC a Brexit deal still "can be done" and urged the Government to "get on" and deliver it.

Sir Keir Starmer blamed "a lot of distraction" from Prime Minister Boris Johnson and others in the Cabinet for delays in securing a deal as the UK approaches the end-of-year deadline.

He told LBC that the debate over Leave/Remain was over and that it was "in the national interest" to get a deal as soon as possible.

Read more: Boris Johnson and Angela Merkel hold Brexit talks ahead of October deadline

Read more: Prime Minister claims there is 'good deal to be done' with EU

"All the businesses I've spoken to said that the thing we want most of all is not delay but a deal," he said.

"I think a deal can be done - the Prime Minister told us he's got an oven-ready deal and my message to him is 'well get on then and deliver it' and that's what I want to happen."

Both the UK and the 27 European Union (EU) countries have agreed that a deal needs to be struck by the end of October to allow sufficient time for it to be ratified in law.

Starmer: It's in the national interest to have a Brexit deal

The Labour Leader was pushed by a business owner to support an extension to the Brexit transition period deadline, but he insisted that a deal would bring more stability for companies instead of more uncertainty that an extension would bring.

"There is no vote in Parliament on an extension of the transition period so the ball is very firmly in the Government's court now," he added.

Read more: Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron hold Brexit talks ahead of October deadline

"The Prime Minister - he grumbles about the deal and introduces legislation to break international law - the question he really needs to answer is, 'when he signed the deal that he then used in the election did he know what he was signing?'"

He added that it would be "new levels of incompetence" if Boris Johnson did not know what he was signing.

It follows a series of talks between the Prime Minister and European leaders in France and Germany over the weekend.

He told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron he would "explore every avenue" to secure a future trade settlement but that he was prepared to walk away from the transition period at the end of the year on Australian-style terms with Brussels if necessary.

On Sunday, he relayed a similar message to German leader Angela Merkel.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Exclusive
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has refused to rule out a wealth tax amid increasing pressure on the government.

Cabinet minister refuses to rule out wealth tax amid growing pressure on Chancellor

Ringo Starr poses beside the 'Peace & Love' sculpture during a celebration of his 85th birthday in Beverly Hills. Picture: Alamy

'Peace and love': Beatles legend Ringo Starr celebrates 85th birthday in style in Beverly Hills

eople look on as law enforcement and volunteers continue to search for missing people near Camp Mystic, the site of where at least 20 girls went missing after flash flooding in Hunt, Texas

Scale of Texas flash floods devastation pictured as death toll reaches more than 100 - as some young girls still missing

A volunteer girl working at a UK Trussell Trust local church food bank packs a client food parcel into a carrier bag.

Children in England living in ‘Dickensian levels of poverty’ amid calls to scrap two-child benefit cap

Breaking News

Man shot by police left with 'life-changing' injuries after bomb squad and counter-terror officers called to village pub

Woodhead Reservoir' water levels drop to an all time low as the UK has the driest spring for 96 years

Hosepipe restrictions introduced in parts of UK from Friday after driest and warmest spring on record

The TikToker warned others about "people dressing up" as train workers and asking people to tap their card on a device in order to steal money.

'Be careful': TikToker warns of sophisticated London Tube scam that sees people pose as train workers

A handful of people are being given the medicine on a case-by-case basis while it is reviewed for wider use on the NHS.

‘Groundbreaking’ drug could slow down progression of type 1 diabetes - as it's tried by UK patients

(left to right) Liam Og O Hannaidh (Mo Chara) wearing a keffiyeh, and Naoise O Caireallain (Moglai Bap) performing on stage at London's Finsbury Park, as a support act to headliners, Fontaines DC.

Police say they have ‘proportionate and considered’ plan ahead of Kneecap gig in Glasgow

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson would not be drawn on whether the plans will be retained.

Ministers fail to rule out cutting special needs school plans after campaigners warn against the move

Security fencing, razor wire and CCTV cameras around the perimeter of a UK prison.

Prisons under siege from sky: Drones dropping zombie knives and kilos of drugs into UK prisons, watchdog warns

Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9 lost their lives in the attacks which rocked the entire UK

Southport inquiry to begin into 'one of the most horrific crimes in our country’s history'

Traffic on the M60 near Manchester

Long-running road and rail projects to go ahead after year-long pause

Captain Tom Moore at his home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, after he achieved his goal of 100 laps of his garden

Probe into Captain Tom Foundation has not impacted trust in charities, claims watchdog

Exclusive
f

Chancellor to look at tax 'very carefully' - as No 10 and Treasury refuse to rule out taxing Britain’s richest people

Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria stops the match against Jannik Sinner of Italy with injury during day eight of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, July 7, 2025. (The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images)

Dimitrov suffers Wimbledon heartbreak after retiring injured while leading Sinner