Ed Davey: Jeremy Corbyn "Won't Command A Majority" In The Commons

16 August 2019, 17:34

Eddie Mair spoke to Lib Dem MP Ed Davey about Jeremy Corbyn who said it's obvious that "if you want to get a vote of no confidence, you have to have a different candidate for Prime Minister. "

Jo Swinson has written a letter to Jeremy Corbyn to say she is ready to work with him to stop a no-deal Brexit.

But she doesn't think the Labour leader will command a majority in the House of Commons.

Sir Ed Davey, Lib Dem MP for Kingston and Surbiton who stood against Jo Swinson in the leadership election, spoke to Eddie Mair about the Labour leader.

He said Jo Swinson's letter "states the obvious" and it's "clear to everybody" that "Jeremy Corbyn is not going to command a majority in the House of Commons".

He said many MPs feel that "Corbyn is not the ideal candidate."

Sir Davey stressed that there are a "number of opposition MPs who won't back Jeremy Corbyn" as well as leading Tory rebels who also "won't install Jeremy Corbyn in Number 10.

"Jo Swinson has been stating the obvious" in that "if you want to get a vote of no confidence, you have to have a different candidate for Prime Minister. "

Eddie Mair pointed out: "It's an interesting argument to make because you and your leader are saying, "well we just don't have the numbers and we're not going to add to them."

Sir Davey responded: "What we're saying is the clock is ticking, there's hardly any time, this is a desperate moment, if we are going to stop a no-deal Brexit we have to have a candidate who will command a majority."

Eddie Mair asked: "Don't you have to be open to all possibilities?"

Sir Davey replied by referring to Jo Swinson's suggestion that a government of national unity should be led by a senior parliamentarian such as Tory grandee Ken Clarke or Labour’s Harriet Harman, notably two non-Lib Dem candidates.