UK Labour moves to prevent new PM pursuing no-deal Brexit - Starmer

Keir Starmer is seen outside the Cabinet Office in London

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's opposition Labour Party said on Wednesday it had brought forward a motion for parliament to take control of government business to prevent a new prime minister pursuing a no-deal Brexit.

Labour is using a vote on Wednesday to try to seize control of the parliamentary agenda later this month to give lawmakers the chance to introduce legislation aimed at preventing the suspension of parliament or a no-deal exit.

"It means that if the next prime minister is foolish enough to try to pursue a no-deal Brexit without gaining the consent of this House, or to prorogue parliament in order to force through no-deal, then parliament would have the means to prevent that," Labour's Brexit policy chief, Keir Starmer, told parliament at the start of the debate, which will end in a vote later on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan and William James, writing by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Stephen Addison)