Raab’s attempt to explain the government’s position on Brexit to the Commons descended into what Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer described as an “utter shambles” – with MPs hurriedly throwing copies of the white paper at their parliamentary colleagues during the five minutes that the house was suspended.
Unsurprisingly, opposition MPs were particularly aghast at the government’s manner in delivering their published paper on Brexit – none more so than Labour’s Starmer.
Starmer directed the blame at Raab, who took up the role of chief UK Brexit negotiator this week, telling him: “He’s not got off to a very good start. The utter shambles of the last twenty minutes that led to the suspension of the house during a statement is clear evidence Mr Speaker of why the government is in such a mess.”
Starmer, the MP for Holborn and St Pancras, was particularly bemused as to why the media had reportedly been handed a copy of the Brexit paper at a briefing, hours before he had been handed it.
In response to the wave of dissatisfaction at the proceedings, Raab told the house: “Can I just apologise for the late arrival. We will look into what happened with the clerks and we will avoid it happening again.”