Theresa May reaches out to unions and Labour MPs in unprecedented bid to force deal through
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Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May has launched a fresh bid to secure support for her Brexit deal by reaching out to trade unions and Labour MPs.
The prime minister spoke to union bosses on Thursday and signalled that she will accept a Labour backbench amendment to secure workers rights after Brexit.
The amendment was tabled by John Mann, Caroline Flint and Gareth Snell. Mr Mann said the government's support would be "significant" and would make the proposed withdrawal agreement "more attractive".
Ms May's calls with union leaders appeared to have had little impact. Speaking after a call with the prime minister, GMB general secretary Tim Roache said: "I represent 620,000 working people and it’s about time their voices were heard. After nearly three years I’m glad the prime minister finally picked up the phone.
"As you would expect, I was very clear about GMB’s position - the deal on the table isn’t good enough and non-binding assurances on workers' rights won’t cut it."
Earlier, Jeremy Corbyn delivered a major speech on Brexit and called for Ms May to hold a general election to heal the divisions caused by Brexit.
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Full story: Theresa May signals she will support Labour backbenchers plan to safeguard workers' rights ahead of Brexit vote
The Labour leadership is strongly dismissing the significance of the government saying it could accept a Labour backbench amendment on workers' rights
One of the Labour MPs who has tabled a Brexit amendment on workers' rights says she will not vote for Theresa May's deal even if the government agrees to support the motion.
No 10 has said it will consider "very seriously" the proposal, put forward by Labour backbenchers, but Lisa Nandy said this was not "sufficient" to secure her support.
She BBC Radio 4's World at One:
"The amendment that we've tabled, even though it represents progress, isn't sufficient to give me or many other Labour MPs confidence that this will lead to the sort of close relationship economically with the EU that we need to protect jobs in our constituencies."
"I've been saying for five months now that I would be prepared to vote for the withdrawal agreement, but Theresa May needs to get in touch with Labour on our front benches and back benches, and start having this dialogue about what we need to have the confidence to vote for it.
"Until now, she's only been prepared to talk to her party and particularly the right of her party.
"Until she starts to tilt back to the centre and have those conversations with the majority of parliament who don't support no deal and don't support a hard Brexit, she's not going to get this withdrawal agreement through.
"That's the importance of what happened this week. Finally there seems to be a recognition from the Conservative leadership that they are going to have to do that."
Theresa May is calling trade union general secretaries this afternoon, in another sign of a new bid to build support for her Brexit deal.
According to Channel 4, she has spoken to Unite general secretary Len McCluskey and will also call the GMB's Tim Roache.
It comes after the government suggested it would support a backbench Labour amendment protecting workers' rights and environmental standards after Brexit.
No 10 is clearly trying to reach out and secure new backing for the Brexit deal, but with just days to go until MPs vote on the agreement, many Labour MPs will feel it is too little, too late.
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