Lib Dems to vote against Johnson’s “threadbare” deal

The Liberal Democrats have announced that they will vote against Boris Johnson’s  “threadbare” deal because it is “bad for jobs, business, security, and our environment”.  

The Party has also lodged a reasoned amendment to the European Union (Future Relationship) Bill in which it warns the Bill does “not meet the undertakings given to the people of the UK by the Prime Minister.” 

The amendment, which is to now be considered by the Speaker, criticises the Bill for erecting non-tariff barriers on businesses, ending the UK’s participation in Erasmus and mutual recognition of professional qualifications, depriving the UK’s financial services sector of passporting rights, and cutting off the UK police from direct access to EU-wide law enforcement databases.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

“It is clear that this is a bad deal that will make people’s lives poorer, so the Liberal Democrats will vote against it.

“This botched deal leaves the services sector in limbo and is the only ‘free’ trade deal in history to put up barriers and increase red tape, bringing long delays and higher costs. 

“We all are desperate to move forward, to see our country united again, to restore our economy and our communities after a terrible year. Even by his own low standards, Boris Johnson’s deal just makes that more difficult. 

“The only way forward is to agree an adjustment period to ease the pain for businesses and quickly get to repairing the UK’s damaged relationships with our most important international partners.”