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| Corbyn must address working-class EU concerns, warns Frank Field | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Eurosceptic Labour voters could desert the party in anger over its supposed failure to recognise their concerns about immigration, the MP Frank Field will say on Tuesday, as he calls on party leader Jeremy Corbyn to listen to his working-class base. | |
| The Labour MP said 40% of the party’s supporters wanted Britain to leave the EU, but added that their views were being ignored in favour of a pro-EU policy that was designed to please a “London metropolitan elite”. | The Labour MP said 40% of the party’s supporters wanted Britain to leave the EU, but added that their views were being ignored in favour of a pro-EU policy that was designed to please a “London metropolitan elite”. |
| “The richer you are as a Labour voter, the more ‘in’ you are,” said Field. But poorer voters were more likely to have suffered as a result of immigration and hold Eurosceptic views as a result, he added. | “The richer you are as a Labour voter, the more ‘in’ you are,” said Field. But poorer voters were more likely to have suffered as a result of immigration and hold Eurosceptic views as a result, he added. |
| “If the referendum is lost, there is a danger we lose a huge tranche of the vote,” he said. | “If the referendum is lost, there is a danger we lose a huge tranche of the vote,” he said. |
| Related: Never mind the EU arguments, just look who’s talking | John O’Farrell | Related: Never mind the EU arguments, just look who’s talking | John O’Farrell |
| It came as Labour sources told the Guardian that campaigners for the local elections were being told to avoid the subject of the EU on the doorstep in an attempt to avoid turning Eurosceptic voters off the party. The Labour leadership in Wales has allegedly told its party base not to start campaigning against Brexit before 6 May. | It came as Labour sources told the Guardian that campaigners for the local elections were being told to avoid the subject of the EU on the doorstep in an attempt to avoid turning Eurosceptic voters off the party. The Labour leadership in Wales has allegedly told its party base not to start campaigning against Brexit before 6 May. |
| Field argued that the Labour leadership had a long record of sharing his view over the EU and said that shouting about that view could boost Labour’s position in working-class communities. | |
| “If it would be favourable to say we are voting to stay in, the message would be to push it as hard as you can on the doorstep,” he said, arguing that, instead, Labour’s support for membership would result in a “heavy price to pay”. | “If it would be favourable to say we are voting to stay in, the message would be to push it as hard as you can on the doorstep,” he said, arguing that, instead, Labour’s support for membership would result in a “heavy price to pay”. |
| “The views of the London metropolitan elite is coming through again,” he said. He argued that the majority of Labour voters who supported Britain’s place in the EU would not vote for another party. “But the 40% [wanting to leave the EU] know where to go, they will follow their neighbours and vote for Ukip.” | “The views of the London metropolitan elite is coming through again,” he said. He argued that the majority of Labour voters who supported Britain’s place in the EU would not vote for another party. “But the 40% [wanting to leave the EU] know where to go, they will follow their neighbours and vote for Ukip.” |
| His speech on Tuesday will point to criticism of the party’s 1983 manifesto, arguing the decision to call for Remain could be the “second-longest suicide note in Labour’s history”. | |
| But this will come as another senior Labour MP, Alan Johnson, argues that unions campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU represent nearly 4 million workers. | |
| Speaking in Blackpool, he will say: “From nurses and builders, to railway workers, steel workers, postal workers and shop workers, trade unions will be campaigning for a Britain that remains in Europe. | Speaking in Blackpool, he will say: “From nurses and builders, to railway workers, steel workers, postal workers and shop workers, trade unions will be campaigning for a Britain that remains in Europe. |
| “The rights of working people are protected by our EU membership and Labour and our union movement are united in campaigning for Britain to remain in Europe.” | “The rights of working people are protected by our EU membership and Labour and our union movement are united in campaigning for Britain to remain in Europe.” |
| He will argue that Conservative figures Michael Gove and Boris Johnson are not trying to help working families. | He will argue that Conservative figures Michael Gove and Boris Johnson are not trying to help working families. |
| “No, their vision is a small state with few, if any, workplace rights, and the Thatcherite ‘supply side’ economy that Nigel Lawson was eulogising the other day. They know the EU protects workers’ interests, and it’s one of the principal reasons why they want to leave the EU.” | “No, their vision is a small state with few, if any, workplace rights, and the Thatcherite ‘supply side’ economy that Nigel Lawson was eulogising the other day. They know the EU protects workers’ interests, and it’s one of the principal reasons why they want to leave the EU.” |