Barry Gardiner: "Theresa May And Tories Are Laughing Stock In Europe"

9 June 2017, 06:09 | Updated: 9 June 2017, 07:37

The Labour MP for Brent North was heaviy critical of Theresa May's decision to call an election and said it had weakened UK in Europe.

The Shadow Minister for International Trade was scathing about where this left any Conservative going to Europe to negotiate.

"Whoever's going into Europe in a week or so's time to negotiate, if they're from the Conservative party, they are a laughing stock.

"If this is Theresa May going in there, having said she needed 120 landslide majority to bolster her negotiating position, then the rest of Europe are going to look at her and 'lady, you are a busted flush'."

While Mr Gardiner will not be too unhappy with his rival's failings, he made clear there was an aspect to this result that goes beyond party politics, saying, "this is actually really important for the country."

"She thought she was so secure, she was so arrogant, she took the electorate for granted.

"The electorate have come back and simply said 'you can't do that'."

A 'two fingered' response, as Nick put it.

Labour outperformed last night according the common wisdom, with the party securing 258 seats (as of 6:15am) - 26 more than Ed Miliband won in 2015.

However, Mr Gardiner made clear that he was not satisfied with this, and that the party shouldn't be either.

"It's a loss," he said without caveat. "Anything short of an over majority is losing, and it's the people losing."

But he had reasons to be hopeful: "I am really proud of our manifesto and I'm proud of the way our campaign managed to get it through to the people."

Mr Gardiner's objective for the party is clear: "We're in politics to change people's lives. And without government, we can't do it."

In his victory speech in his constituency of Islington North, Jeremy Corbyn called for Theresa May's resignation.