Jeremy Corbyn: '˜Theresa May leading mean minded government'

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Picture: SWNS

Mr Corbyn told the conference organised by Class (Centre for Labour and Social Studies) that the Prime Minister was leading a 'mean minded, backward looking' government that is stuck in a Thatcherite time warp.

Labour would go after tax dodgers and put an end to “shabby” sweetheart deals with big business, he said.

“There is nothing more unpatriotic than not paying your taxes,” he said.

Calling for greater transparency about the Government’s plans for EU withdrawal, Mr Corbyn said all UK businesses should be given “assurances” over the impact of Brexit to match those made to Japanese car-maker Nissan before its announcement of new investment in Sunderland.

He said: “All our businesses need the kind of assurances that apparently Nissan has had about the shape of the Government’s Brexit plans to make the right investment decisions.

“Thursday’s High Court decision underlines the necessity that the Prime Minister brings the Government’s negotiating terms for Brexit to Parliament without delay.

“We accept and respect the decision to leave the European Union. But there must be transparency and accountability to Parliament about the Government’s plans.

“I suspect the Government opposes democratic scrutiny of its plans because - frankly - there aren’t any plans, beyond the hollow rhetoric of ‘Brexit means Brexit’.”