Jeremy Corbyn has warned that Tory infighting over Brexit is putting Britain on a path to “economic disaster”.
Accusing the Government of “failing” in exit negotiations, he claimed Prime Minister Theresa May was risking a “jobs meltdown” across the UK.
In a speech to the Co-operative Party conference, Mr Corbyn also attacked the “macho posturing” of US president Donald Trump on North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un.
“We live in a world riven by conflict, spurred on by ego and neo-imperial ambition,” he said.
“Never has the time been more important to restate our commitment to the UN Charter, the third clause of which states its aim ‘to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems’.
“Whether it’s Donald Trump or Kim Jong-Un – macho posturing needs to give way to calm, rational co-operation.”
Mr Corbyn set out Labour’s plans to transform Britain’s economic model, so the benefits of new technology are spread more widely.
(Laura Dale/PA)
He suggested “gig economy” firms like ride-hailing service Uber could be replaced by co-operatives, in which drivers collectively set pay and conditions and share or reinvest the profits from their work.
Responding to Chancellor Philip Hammond’s warning at this month’s Conservative conference that Labour poses “an existential challenge to our economic model”, the Labour leader said: “Well Philip, yes we do.”
Mr Corbyn said the party would not “sit back” while homelessness spiralled and children were leaving in poverty.
“Their economic model is broken,” he added.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond. (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
Brexit talks were at a stalemate and the prospect of failing to reach a deal had fuelled Tory splits over the direction of the exit strategy, he said.
“The Tories are transparently failing in the Brexit negotiations,” he said.
“They are making a shocking mess of Brexit. They are split down the middle, negotiating with each other instead of the EU.
“With each passing day they are driving us closer to a no-deal Brexit.”
Mr Corbyn said a no-deal outcome leaving Britain with World Trade Organisation tariffs was “the worst possible deal”.
“The risk would be that key manufacturers leave for the European mainland, taking skilled jobs with them,” he warned.
“In sector after sector, ‘no deal’ could prove to be an economic disaster.”
“Theresa May’s Cabinet of chaos is risking a jobs meltdown across Britain.
“A powerful faction of the Tories want a no-deal outcome because they think they can use it to turn our economy into a deregulated tax haven. We must not let them.”
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