Dennis Skinner Compares Tory EU Splits To 'The Godfather', Makes Pig's Head Joke

Watch Dennis Skinner Compare Tory EU Splits To 'The Godfather', Make Pig's Head Joke

Dennis Skinner likened Tory splits over Europe to the Godfather films on Monday. Also, he made a joke about the prime minister's alleged -and strongly denied - activities with a pigs head.

"Here we are. The day after The Oscars," the veteran Labour MP told the Commons.

Looking over at the Tory benches he said: "The family is opposite. Threats and counter threats. It reminds me of Godfather. This could be Godfather 4."

And in an apparent reference to claims, strongly denied by Downing Street, that as a student David Cameron engaged in a ritual involving a dead pig’s head, Skinner added: "Will there be a horses head in the bed? Or will it be another animal."

Conservative minister Matt Hancock replied: "They say politics is show business for ugly people so I'll take that as an upgrade."

Tory splits over the EU deepened today as eurosceptic ministers poured scorn on claims that a vote to leave could create a "decade or more of uncertainty".

The first official Whitehall analysis of the process of withdrawal, published by Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, warned an "out" vote would mark the start of "a period of uncertainty, of unknown length, and (with) an unpredictable outcome".

The 23-page document said it was unlikely the terms of withdrawal could be fully negotiated within the formal two-year process, opening the door to other EU states demanding concessions in return for an extension.

Leader of the Commons Chris Grayling dismissed the findings, insisting it would be just as much in the interests of the remaining 27 nations to reach a speedy conclusion to the negotiations.

"Why on earth would we think it would take twice as long as the Second World War to be able to sort out our trading relationships with Europe and elsewhere?" he said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Hancock denied accusations the Government was stoking fears about the consequences of a vote to leave in the referendum on June 23, insisting the analysis was a "cautious assessment".

"The truth is we don't know. Those who are proposing to leave, I think it's incumbent on them to have to explain exactly what would happen," he told the Today programme.

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