Writing exclusively for the Mirror, the Shadow Chancellor expresses his fear of an erosion of the rights of ordinary people and vows to give the people the final say

Writing exclusively for the Mirror, the Shadow Chancellor expresses his fear of an erosion of the rights of ordinary people and vows to give the people the final say

Boris Johnson’s sell out deal would give a green light for his government to trigger a race to the bottom on rights and protections, putting food safety, workers’ rights and consumer standards at risk and hitting the poorest parts of our country hardest.

On Saturday, Parliament blocked the Prime Minister from forcing through a backdoor No Deal crash-out or setting up a blackmail vote between his sell-out deal and No Deal.

Now, Labour will seize every opportunity through the passage of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill to safeguard workers’ rights, protect our economy and ensure the people are given the final say.

We have one last chance in this Parliament to find a compromise that can break the impasse.

By amending the Withdrawal Agreement Bill that has been published tonight, MPs have an opportunity to reject the false choice between Boris Johnson’s bad deal and no deal, and instead support an agreement that works for everyone.

Now is the time to come together and get behind Labour’s offer.

A new Customs Union between the UK and the EU, with a UK say, can command a majority in the House.

It is something that businesses and manufacturers have been calling for and would remove the need for a border down the Irish Sea.

Labour will also work to return to the withdrawal agreement the legally-binding commitments on workers’ rights and the environment that the Prime Minister spent the past few weeks negotiating in secret to remove.

And if a compromise can be reached, Labour believes we should let the people decide.

Our preference is for a General Election to deliver a Labour government, which would give the people the final say between a credible leave deal and remain.

But as we have said – any deal should go back to the people.

In April this year, Parliament failed to find a consensus for a way forward on Brexit. Too many refused to compromise.

This cannot happen again.

We must work together, across the House, to find a sensible way forward and bring the country together.