Blair: Corbyn Must Avoid ‘Elephant Trap’ Snap Election To Stop No-Deal Brexit Risk

Jeremy Corbyn should avoid the “elephant trap” of a snap general election that could be used to ram through a no-deal Brexit, Tony Blair is to warn.

In a speech on Monday, the former prime minister will argue that if Boris Johnson is allowed to call an election for November, parliament would be suspended during the October 31 deadline for exit and could do nothing to stop it.

At the same time, Corbyn will use his own speech in Salford to say that Labour is doing “everything necessary to pull our country back from the brink” of quitting the EU without an agreement with Brussels.

Blair will praise his successor for so far holding off a vote of no confidence and for prioritising instead a cross-party effort this week to pass emergency legislation to force Johnson to extend the UK’s membership of the EU beyond Halloween.

Several MPs believe that the PM would respond to such legislation by simply moving towards a snap poll, daring Labour to vote against the idea.

Fears that the Tories will do anything to ram through a no-deal were heightened on Sunday when Michael Gove refused to say if Johnson would comply with any emergency law requiring him to seek an EU extension after October 31.

Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, an early election can be called if two- thirds of MPs vote for one, but that would require Labour to join the Conservatives in agreeing to the idea.

But in his speech to the Institute for Government think tank, Blair will say that the opposition would make a huge mistake in backing such a poll without first ensuring no-deal will not happen.

A second referendum should instead be held on any no-deal plan, he will say.

“It is counter-intuitive for opposition parties to refuse an election. But in this exceptional case, it is vital they do so as a matter of principle, until Brexit is resolved,” the former Labour PM will say.

“If the government policy is to come out with no-deal, then either parliament should agree it, or the people. If parliament cannot agree, then the right way to consult the people is not through a general election but through a referendum.

“In backing away from the idea of himself as a ‘caretaker Prime Minister’ Jeremy Corbyn has behaved responsibly, and if he continues to put country first, he will benefit the country and himself. He can now play a decisive role in how Brexit develops.

“But he should see an election for the elephant trap it is.  If the government tries to force an election, Labour should vote against it.”