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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/05/peoples-vote-brexit-labour-party-anna-soubry
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| The People’s Vote campaign is about Brexit, not patching up broken parties | The People’s Vote campaign is about Brexit, not patching up broken parties |
| (21 days later) | |
| The People’s Vote campaign has always been strictly non-partisan and the cause is bigger than any allegiance to any political party. This is its biggest strength. Now, more than ever, it is vital that this remains the case. | The People’s Vote campaign has always been strictly non-partisan and the cause is bigger than any allegiance to any political party. This is its biggest strength. Now, more than ever, it is vital that this remains the case. |
| On Monday, in a series of indicate votes in parliament, a People’s Vote damn nearly fell off the list of options when Labour MPs voted for a customs union. Members of the Independent Group like me voted against it primarily because it will not deliver the frictionless trade British business demands, being one step up from a ruinous hard Brexit. The Liberal Democrats split on the matter but the SNP and Green MP saw the trap that had been laid and joined us in the no lobby. Had we not, the customs union option would have won a majority and the campaign would have fallen by the wayside. In the event, a motion for a confirmatory public vote was defeated – but it gained the most votes of all the options put forward on Monday and a second referendum remains the only way out of the Brexit crisis. | On Monday, in a series of indicate votes in parliament, a People’s Vote damn nearly fell off the list of options when Labour MPs voted for a customs union. Members of the Independent Group like me voted against it primarily because it will not deliver the frictionless trade British business demands, being one step up from a ruinous hard Brexit. The Liberal Democrats split on the matter but the SNP and Green MP saw the trap that had been laid and joined us in the no lobby. Had we not, the customs union option would have won a majority and the campaign would have fallen by the wayside. In the event, a motion for a confirmatory public vote was defeated – but it gained the most votes of all the options put forward on Monday and a second referendum remains the only way out of the Brexit crisis. |
| Brexit: Labour accuses government of failure to compromise in talks - live news | Brexit: Labour accuses government of failure to compromise in talks - live news |
| I don’t really know deputy Labour leader Tom Watson, though I once had a pleasant conversation with him when I bumped in to him on a train. But given his sudden prominence in the People’s Vote campaign it feels like he’s now a long-time friend. I was delighted when he spoke at the rally after the recent #PutItToThePeople march, and I thought the booing from some quarters was out of order. Now we need to see Tom marching into the lobby on every vote to support a People’s Vote and making sure it stays top of the Brexit political agenda. | I don’t really know deputy Labour leader Tom Watson, though I once had a pleasant conversation with him when I bumped in to him on a train. But given his sudden prominence in the People’s Vote campaign it feels like he’s now a long-time friend. I was delighted when he spoke at the rally after the recent #PutItToThePeople march, and I thought the booing from some quarters was out of order. Now we need to see Tom marching into the lobby on every vote to support a People’s Vote and making sure it stays top of the Brexit political agenda. |
| Watson is no fool. He knows there are Labour MPs considering leaving the party and joining the Independent Group, and he knows, local party activists, supporters and voters are draining away. For them, and many others who voted remain, there is a growing sense of betrayal as they see the Labour leadership locked in talks with Theresa May’s government to facilitate a Conservative Brexit. Watson has set up his internal Future Group of “social democrat and democratic socialist” Labour MPs – I believe he’s embraced a People’s Vote to staunch the flow of support away from Labour. | Watson is no fool. He knows there are Labour MPs considering leaving the party and joining the Independent Group, and he knows, local party activists, supporters and voters are draining away. For them, and many others who voted remain, there is a growing sense of betrayal as they see the Labour leadership locked in talks with Theresa May’s government to facilitate a Conservative Brexit. Watson has set up his internal Future Group of “social democrat and democratic socialist” Labour MPs – I believe he’s embraced a People’s Vote to staunch the flow of support away from Labour. |
| But those running the campaign must not allow it to become a front to patch up the deep divisions in the Labour party. | But those running the campaign must not allow it to become a front to patch up the deep divisions in the Labour party. |
| People’s Vote sprang from Open Britain – an amalgam of people passionate about the benefits of being in the EU, horrified at the referendum result, and determined to mitigate the various harms Brexit will cause our country. This diverse coalition brought Caroline Lucas of the Green party and Dominic Grieve of the Conservatives to the same table, it united grass roots campaigns such as More United and Scientists for EU, and campaigners of every political hue. In time we agreed the only way out of the growing Brexit crisis was a People’s Vote. | People’s Vote sprang from Open Britain – an amalgam of people passionate about the benefits of being in the EU, horrified at the referendum result, and determined to mitigate the various harms Brexit will cause our country. This diverse coalition brought Caroline Lucas of the Green party and Dominic Grieve of the Conservatives to the same table, it united grass roots campaigns such as More United and Scientists for EU, and campaigners of every political hue. In time we agreed the only way out of the growing Brexit crisis was a People’s Vote. |
| The lesson of this Brexit ordeal? The EU is a club worth belonging to | Jonathan Freedland | The lesson of this Brexit ordeal? The EU is a club worth belonging to | Jonathan Freedland |
| I was a proud founder along with members of the Labour party, Lib Dems and Green arty. We were committed to putting the interest of our country first and foremost, often at considerable personal and political cost. None of us were motivated by a desire to save our respective parties from internal division, nor to resolve internal disputes. | I was a proud founder along with members of the Labour party, Lib Dems and Green arty. We were committed to putting the interest of our country first and foremost, often at considerable personal and political cost. None of us were motivated by a desire to save our respective parties from internal division, nor to resolve internal disputes. |
| Tomorrow, local campaigners will be out in village squares, and town and city centres the length and breadth of Britain, campaigning for a People’s Vote. This remarkable band of campaigners from all backgrounds and of all ages has weathered the winter and withstood the insults of sometimes hostile leave voters. We don’t just owe it to them, but to the overwhelming majority of people in Britain to keep on campaigning for a People’s Vote. Our success to date has been our ability to unite people behind our common cause – so near to final victory, we must not allow it to be snatched away by those who seek to put their party before our national interest. | Tomorrow, local campaigners will be out in village squares, and town and city centres the length and breadth of Britain, campaigning for a People’s Vote. This remarkable band of campaigners from all backgrounds and of all ages has weathered the winter and withstood the insults of sometimes hostile leave voters. We don’t just owe it to them, but to the overwhelming majority of people in Britain to keep on campaigning for a People’s Vote. Our success to date has been our ability to unite people behind our common cause – so near to final victory, we must not allow it to be snatched away by those who seek to put their party before our national interest. |
| • Anna Soubry is MP for Broxtowe | • Anna Soubry is MP for Broxtowe |
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| Change UK – The Independent Group | |
| Tom Watson | Tom Watson |
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