LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer is facing a high-profile revolt over his decision to back Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s EU trade deal in today’s Commons vote.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell and ex-cabinet minister Ben Bradshaw are among the signatories to a statement calling on opposition parties not to support the “rotten” agreement.

Sir Keir has said that he would call on Labour MPs to support the “thin” post-Brexit free trade agreement, despite concerns that it would fail to protect many key economic sectors.

He argued that the alternative of ending the Brexit transition period on Thursday without a deal in place would be even worse for the economy.

But the party has also called on the government to take “five steps to back British business” as the deadline looms.

Another Europe Is Possible and Labour For A Socialist Europe organised the statement opposing the deal, which has received support from both wings of the party.

Signatories include ex-cabinet minister Lord Adonis from the Blairite wing of the party.

The statement warns that it is the duty of the opposition to provide proper parliamentary scrutiny and to set out an alternative.

“That task gets harder if opposition parties fall into the trap of rallying around this rotten deal,” it said.

“We are witnessing an act of vandalism against our livelihoods, our rights and our horizons.

“We call on Labour, the labour movement and other opposition parties not to support the Tories’ Brexit deal when it is put to a vote in the House of Commons.”

Other signatories are said to include former MEPs, councillors and local activists.

Labour is the only opposition party supporting the deal, with the SNP and the Liberal Democrats having said they would vote against it.

With Labour support, the EU (Future Relationship) Bill is expected to be passed comfortably today after MPs and peers debate and vote, with the legislation being rushed through in a day ahead of the end of the transition period at 11pm on Thursday.

Despite its overall support, Labour is calling for urgent action to help British businesses prepare for significant changes to their operating environment on January 1. 

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds said that the “government’s irresponsible, 11th-hour approach” to the negotiations meant there were many questions still unanswered with just days to go until the end of the transition period.

“After a year of unprecedented upheaval, that puts even more pressure on businesses which are now facing a highly uncertain start to the new year,” she said.

“The government must urgently take five steps to back British business: clear communications, a commitment to British supply chains, regulatory proportionality, the customs capacity we need and financial support for the worst-affected firms.” 

Communist Party of Britain general secretary Robert Griffiths said: “Successive British governments should have been investing in ports, customs services, strategic companies, R&D, local supply chains and exports, regardless of Brexit. 

“We need a comprehensive strategy to rebuild our industrial base in the English regions, Scotland and Wales, in the interests of workers as well as business. 

“Ironically, only outside the EU can we use state aid, public ownership and capital controls on the scale necessary to implement such a strategy — a reality not recognised by die-hard anti-Brexit Labour MPs.”

The PM’s deal also won the backing of senior Eurosceptic Tory MPs yesterday, who have said the agreement “preserves the UK’s sovereignty.”

The UK-EU post-Brexit trade deal will be signed in Brussels today by EU chiefs before being flown by an RAF plane to London for Mr Johnson to sign, Downing Street said.