Brexit news: Tony Blair warns no-deal would mean a 'very hard border' in Ireland as he says Labour must do more to tackle anti-Semitism

Tony Blair said Labour's leadership had not been 'robust' enough in tackling anti-Semitism
Sky News
Ella Wills10 February 2019
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Tony Blair today said Labour's leadership had not been "robust" enough in tackling anti-Semitism during a wide-ranging interview in which he reiterated his warnings over the consequences of a no-deal Brexit in Ireland.

The former prime minister said no deal will inevitably lead to a "very hard border" in Ireland and cause a huge split within the UK.

It came during an interview with Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday where he condemned reports of anti-Semitism in the Labour party.

And the former Labour leader - a vocal advocate of the UK remaining in the EU - said he believed a second Brexit referendum might happen "when people see what the true Brexit alternatives are".

Mr Blair told the programme: "Of course we should eradicate anti-Semitism from the Labour Party.

"We are supposed to be a progressive political party, how can we say it's tolerable to have a certain level of anti-Semitism in the party?"

Asked if the leadership had been robust enough on tackling the issue, Mr Blair replied: "No it has not been robust enough on it."

He added: "The fact that someone like Luciana Berger - who is a smart, capable, active Member of Parliament doing her best for her constituents - the fact that she should even be subject to a no-confidence motion with this type of allegation swirling around is shameful for the Labour Party."

He then backed deputy leader Tom Watson's call for Ms Berger's Liverpool Wavertree constituency Labour party to be suspended - something that Labour general secretary Jennie Formby has rejected.

The former Labour leader also said that that a no-deal Brexit could be "devastating" for the Northern Ireland peace process.

He told Ms Ridge: "No one could responsibly propose (a no-deal Brexit). It would be economically very, very dangerous for Britain, and for the peace process in Ireland it would potentially be devastating.

"You would have a hard border, very hard border. A no-deal Brexit means a really hard border between north and south in Ireland, it's contrary to the Good Friday Agreement and it will cause an enormous fissure within the United Kingdom."

Mr Blair, who has argued strongly for a second EU referendum, added: "I've never thought that you would get to another referendum going directly to it - you'll get to it when people see what the true Brexit alternatives are. And the truth is there are two.

"You can have a soft Brexit, which is really what Jeremy Corbyn is suggesting, or you can have the hard Brexit that Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage and other people want."

He said the type of Brexit must be decided before the UK leaves the EU, arguing that a lack of clarity would lead to a lack of "closure".

He said: "The argument just goes on, and by then you'll have left, you'll have paid your money up front, you'll have given up your negotiating leverage.

"And for the country to do that, as Theresa May wants to do - to leave without knowing what Brexit you get - this would be, in my view, an incredibly foolish thing for the country to do. It's got to know where we're heading before we leave."

Meanwhile shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth said Labour must "go further and faster" in tackling anti-Semitism.

Contradicting the alleged comments of Ms Formby earlier this week, he said that it was not "impossible" to eradicate anti-Jewish hatred.

Pressed to respond to Mr Blair's claims, Mr Ashworth told Ms Ridge that the issue "breaks my heart".

He said: "It's clear we need to go further and faster on dealing with anti-Semitism in the Labour Party.

"One anti-Semite in the Labour Party is one too many."

The frontbencher added: "No, it's not impossible to eradicate it from the Labour Party, and John McDonnell has said that as well so there's no disagreement between me and John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn on this."

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