Peter Dowd MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, responding to Philip Hammond’s remarks calling the EU “the enemy”, said:
“These are foolish remarks by Philip Hammond, and reveal that he is clearly feeling the pressure from Tory MPs calling for him to be sacked. The tone of this rhetoric will obviously not unblock negotiations or help protect our economic interests.
“The Chancellor should be putting the country before the infighting in his own party when he is representing us overseas, and refrain from acting like Basil Fawlty on holiday. It is vital that these negotiations do not lead to a situation where Britain crashes out of the EU without a deal, risking jobs and living standards.
“This weak government has squandered the past months of the Brexit negotiations, squabbling with each other rather than trying to get the best deal for Britain. If they are not up to the job then they should step aside and let Labour take over.”
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