Nick Ferrari Tells Labour MP: You Can't Stop No-Deal Brexit

5 August 2019, 07:59 | Updated: 5 August 2019, 08:15

Labour's Shadow Health Secretary told LBC they will stop a no-deal Brexit, but Nick Ferrari pointed out there was no legally-binding way they could do so.

Boris Johnson's chief strategist Dominic Cummings suggested it was too late to stop the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

But Jonathan Ashworth insisted it was just a bit of spin, saying: "This guy is Boris Johnson's top spin doctor. He's obviously very worried about Tory MPs on his own side voting in the House of Commons to block no-deal.

"It's a bit of spin coming from him there."

However, when Nick Ferrari asked how he would stop it, Mr Ashworth could only say: "We have to find a way to stop it when the House of Commons returns in September.

"We're going to working on cross-party lines to try to block a no-deal."

Nick pointed out: "Surely when Mr Cummings is quoted as saying 'They don't realise that if there's a no confidence vote in September or October, we'll call an election for after the 31st and we'll leave anyway', he's right.

"Tell me why that's not right."

As Nick pressed Mr Ashworth on how he would block a no-deal, he confirmed that Labour would not petition the Queen or join together with Dominic Grieve on a new government.

He said one option is an emergency motion in the Commons, but Nick pointed out the difficulty in getting that vote passed - and even if they do, it won't be legally binding.

After a pause, Mr Ashworth responded: "Well..."

Nick insisted: "There's no 'well'. It is not legally binding. So Mr Johnson were he so minded could say 'thank you very much I'm going to ignore it'."

Watch the full exchange at the top of the page.