Labour today came under attack for sitting within the stands by abstaining on crucial coronavirus lockdown measures because the party said it’d not bother voting on any Brexit deal.
Former England and Manchester United star Gary Neville, now a businessman within the northern city, slammed Sir Keir Starmer for failing to require an edge on the draconian tiers.
He insisted the Labour leader had a requirement to be ‘bold’ and oppose the new rules that came into effect last week because there wasn’t enough economic support alongside them.
The condemnation came as senior shadow ministers refused to rule out abstaining on any package Boris Johnson secures from the EU.
Mr Johnson branded Sir Keir General Indecision at PMQs last week after he ordered his MPs to take a seat out the crunch vote on new tiers in England.
Sir Keir argued that the curbs weren’t strong enough and therefore the Treasury should be providing extra money for hard-hit areas.
But the neutral position meant the system was approved by the Commons, despite many Tories rebelling amid fury that 99 per cent of the country are under the toughest levels of restrictions.
Mr Neville – previously a staunch Labour supporter – told Sky News’ Ridge On Sunday: ‘The restrictions being in situ to guard health is ok , but they know that the economic support isn’t in situ aligned with those restrictions, which suggests you’ve to require an edge and be bold and go against it, you can’t abstain.’
He said the people of Manchester were ‘frustrated with the shortage of leadership’ in protecting the communities that are hardest hit.
‘So when you’re elected and you’re therein seat in Westminster, you’re taking an edge, you do not abstain, you’re taking part within the match, you are the opposition.
‘The opposition – not sitting within the stand. They sat within the stand whilst the entire team had a transparent run.
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