Saturday, November 23, 2019
Labour still falling short on EU commitments
Those arguing that Labour's commitment to hold a people's vote on a deal that they have negotiated with the EU puts them in the remain camp, may wish to reflect on the precise position the party's leader is taking.
As the Guardian reports, Jeremy Corbyn plans to take a “neutral stance” in a future Brexit referendum. That is in no way a 'remain position':
Labour’s Brexit policy is to negotiate a new deal within three months of coming to power – and then put it to a referendum, alongside an option to remain in the EU, within six months.
Despite the vast majority of Labour members being pro-remain, Corbyn has always declined to say how he would campaign. He had previously suggested Labour’s position would be determined at a special conference once a new Brexit deal had been agreed.
He was pressed repeatedly about it by Johnson when the two men met for a head to head debate earlier this week – and the Tories had seized on his refusal to give an answer.
When he was asked about it once again on Friday, the Labour leader revealed that his plan was to take a “neutral stance”.
An article he wrote for the Guardian in September was seen as the strongest sign yet he would stay neutral, but he has until now refused to confirm his stance.
The Labour leader later tweeted that his approach would be to act as an “honest broker” in a referendum, and “not campaign on either side”.
This leaves us with the possible scenario that Corbyn will manage to negotiate a deal that has eluded many others for over three years, crossing several EU red lines in the process, and then stand back while people vote to leave the EU. If anything that is a quasi-Brexit position.
So the Tories will take us out on disastrous terms while Labour will indulge in fantasy politics at the country's expense. The only way to vote across the UK to stay in the EU is for the Liberal Democrats.
As the Guardian reports, Jeremy Corbyn plans to take a “neutral stance” in a future Brexit referendum. That is in no way a 'remain position':
Labour’s Brexit policy is to negotiate a new deal within three months of coming to power – and then put it to a referendum, alongside an option to remain in the EU, within six months.
Despite the vast majority of Labour members being pro-remain, Corbyn has always declined to say how he would campaign. He had previously suggested Labour’s position would be determined at a special conference once a new Brexit deal had been agreed.
He was pressed repeatedly about it by Johnson when the two men met for a head to head debate earlier this week – and the Tories had seized on his refusal to give an answer.
When he was asked about it once again on Friday, the Labour leader revealed that his plan was to take a “neutral stance”.
An article he wrote for the Guardian in September was seen as the strongest sign yet he would stay neutral, but he has until now refused to confirm his stance.
The Labour leader later tweeted that his approach would be to act as an “honest broker” in a referendum, and “not campaign on either side”.
This leaves us with the possible scenario that Corbyn will manage to negotiate a deal that has eluded many others for over three years, crossing several EU red lines in the process, and then stand back while people vote to leave the EU. If anything that is a quasi-Brexit position.
So the Tories will take us out on disastrous terms while Labour will indulge in fantasy politics at the country's expense. The only way to vote across the UK to stay in the EU is for the Liberal Democrats.
