Labour must do more to stop no-deal Brexit - Plaid

Jonathan Edwards: "It is completely unclear as to how Labour are proposing to stop no deal"

"Sensible Labour MPs" must put party self-interest aside and work with other opposition members to prevent a no-deal Brexit, a Plaid Cymru MP has said.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn would not step down to allow a coalition of "national unity" at Westminster.

Mr McDonnell pledged to "move heaven and Earth to stop a no-deal Brexit".

But Plaid's Jonathan Edwards said Labour's "refusal to work across party lines" increased the risk of no deal.

• What is 'no-deal Brexit'?

• No-deal Brexit: 10 ways it could affect you

• Brexit: What happens now?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the UK will leave the EU on 31 October, with or without a deal.

His government has a working majority of just one in Parliament, with the backing of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, after the Conservatives lost last week's Brecon and Radnorshire by-election.

A number of Conservative MPs have said they will do everything possible to prevent the UK leaving the European Union without agreeing its terms of departure.

Interviewed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival earlier this week, Mr McDonnell said Mr Corbyn would "never" step down if other opposition parties demanded it as a condition of creating a temporary coalition to request a further extension to the UK's departure date.

He said: "It won't happen. I think we'd form a minority government, seek to implement our manifesto and we'd expect the other opposition parties and other MPs to vote for those policies and if they don't we'll go back to the country."

John McDonnell says Labour is not going be held back by other parties

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Mr Edwards said Mr Johnson's government was "intent on using any trick necessary to run down the clock".

Plaid Cymru warned forcing a general election, by MPs passing a no-confidence motion in the government, could lead to a no-deal Brexit "by default", as the campaign period would be likely to extend beyond 31 October.

"It is completely unclear as to how Labour are proposing to stop no deal if they are opposed to the only other viable way - a temporary cross-party alliance," Mr Edwards said.

"A no deal will have disastrous consequences for the economy, jobs and our communities.

"Whether they believe their own spin or they really are delusional, Labour are increasing the risk of a no deal because of their refusal to work across party lines."