David Lammy stands by comments comparing European Research Group to Nazis

Labour MP David Lammy appearing on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show (Pic: BBC) - Credit: BBC

Anti-Brexit campaigner David Lammy has doubled down on his statement comparing members of the European Research Group (ERG) to Nazis.

If a Brexit deal emerges, it won't look anything like the fantasy people voted for in 2016.

The only way the Parliament can go forward with a specific form of Brexit if it is put to the public in a confirmatory vote against remaining in the EU. #Marr pic.twitter.com/ABliGwjihV
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) April 14, 2019

Lammy first made the comments denouncing the appeasement of members of the ERG when speaking at a People’s Vote rally.

When faced with the footage of his speech on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show today, Lammy told the presenter that they weren’t ‘strong enough’.

‘We must not appease,’ said Lammy

‘I’m an ethnic minority. We have in the ERG – Jacob Rees Mogg – someone who is happy to put onto his webpages the horrible, racist AfD [Alternative für Deutschland] party that is Islamophobic and on the far right of the German system.’

He said that the ERG was ‘happy to use the phrase ‘Grand Wizard’ – the KKK is what it evokes to me when I think of that phrase and the deep south’.

His comments have angered Conservative MPS with Conor Burns tweeting: ‘I used to have regard for David Lammy. But this is batshit. Comparing ERG to Hitler is quite something. Fully lost it.’

The prominent backbencher has campaigned endlessly for a People’s Vote.

He told Marr that accepting a customs union Brexit was a type of compromise, but one that many people would not feel that they had voted for.

‘It’s clear that there has to be a confirmatory ratification in the form of a referendum at that point,’ said the MP.

‘Having been to the [Labour] meeting last week, it’s clear that there is a mood in the party to accept the deal that emerges as long as it’s put to referendum.

‘That is in a sense the compromise.’

Lammy insisted that a customs union version of Brexit was still a ‘hard Brexit’ and would lead to the UK losing much of its autonomy when it came to making trade deals.

He said: ‘If we’re staying in a customs union, you can’t go off and strike free trade deals. I’m not sure many people voted for that.

‘If we went with Norway – which has its attractions – again we would be a rule taker. I’m not sure many people voted for that.’

The Tottenham MP highlighted the fact that services, which covers 80% of the UK economy, would not be covered under a customs union version of Brexit.

‘So clearly, the best thing to do when a deal emerges is to ask the country whether they like the deal,’ said Lammy.

‘Going forward this is not going to end, we still don’t know where the arrival point is, we don’t know where we’re heading in terms of our future trade deal.

‘It’s completely blind. So the rows will continue now for many, many years to come.

‘The best way to actually bring this country together is through a democratic process.’