Writing for The Sun today, Caroline Flint vows to vote for any “reasonable” Brexit deal and urges her fellow MPs to do the same.
The former Europe Minister dismisses accusations she was being bribed to back the PM’s deal – saying it is “simply wrong” to claim the PM has “bought” her vote.
Ms Flint says the PM was instead offering to spend billions of pounds on towns across Britain that are desperately in need of change, adding: “I won’t apologise for demanding a Rebuilding Britain fund.”
And she says that she will back Mrs May’s deal as long as it’s backed up with commitments on workers’ rights and environmental protections.
Pals of Ms Flint said that unlike other Labour colleagues she is not pushing for the PM to soften her Brexit deal further by a committing to keeping Britain in a customs union with the EU post-Brexit.
Her comments come in defiance of a flurry of abuse from Remainer MPs who attacked her and other Labour rebels who voted for the Government in a couple of crucial Commons votes last week that helped defeat a bid to delay Brexit.
Labour MP David Lammy even branded them “cowards and facilitators” after it emerged the PM had offered to splash cash in Labour heartlands in return for their support.
Online leftie mobsters even labelled Ms Flint and co “poisonous snakes” and “Tory scum”.
But putting her head above the parapet today, Ms Flint hit back, writing in The Sun: “Claims that Government are buying votes over Brexit with MPs like me is simply wrong.
“No one in Government has offered me money, personally, or for my constituency.
“My vote is not for sale. In 2017 I promised to work for a deal that works for Doncaster in time to leave on 29 March 2019. I’ve no intention of breaking my election pledge.”
She adds: “The British people expect us to work together to sort Brexit. If a reasonable deal comes forward, backed by commitments on workers’ rights and environmental standards, I will be pressing Labour colleagues to back a deal and move on.”
PM did not buy my Brexit vote, says Labour MP Caroline Flint
Claims that Government are buying votes over Brexit with MPs like me is simply wrong.
No one in Government has offered me money, personally, or for my constituency.
My vote is not for sale. In 2017 I promised to work for a deal that works for Doncaster in time to leave on 29 March 2019. I’ve no intention of breaking my election pledge.
A few weeks ago, I and a group of Labour MP met the Prime Minister to try to change the Government’s approach on Brexit. We argued that workers’ rights, after we leave the EU, needed to be guaranteed. No race to the bottom. We argued that the PM needed to talk to our trade union leaders and reach out to Labour as well. That week, the PM made her first ever phone call to the union leaders, followed by meetings.
After last weeks’ Commons votes, Jeremy Corbyn had a positive meeting with May. More are to follow. Just maybe we are starting to act the way we should have a long time ago.
The British people expect us to work together to sort Brexit. If a reasonable deal comes forward, backed by commitments on workers’ rights and environmental standards, I will be pressing Labour colleagues to back a deal and move on.
That group of MPs also took the opportunity to tell Government that Britain’s small towns, so often left in the slow lane, need a new approach after Brexit.
It begins by understanding the anger of those in left behind Britain.
While cities prospered, too many towns saw slow decline over the last decade. And many thought “What do we have to lose by voting Leave?” Six out of ten Labour MPs represent Leave towns like these.
Too many see £50 billion, or is it, £60 billion on HS2; but don’t have a station; can’t get a bus to work and have dodgy broadband.
I won’t apologise for demanding a Rebuilding Britain fund. A fund of billions for Britain’s small towns who need things to change.
I’m looking for a new deal for our small towns after Brexit. Nothing less.
- Caroline Flint is the MP for Don Valley and a former Minister for Europe.
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