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Corbyn pressed by senior Labour MPs to back a second referendum Corbyn 'listening very carefully' to Labour calls for second referendum
(about 2 hours later)
Jeremy Corbyn is under pressure to fully back a second referendum, after senior Labour figures called for a people’s vote in response to a poor performance in the European elections. Jeremy Corbyn has said he is “listening very carefully” as he came under pressure from senior shadow cabinet ministers to fully back a second referendum.
The Labour leader pledged to consider the party’s policy on Brexit, as the shadow cabinet ministers Emily Thornberry, Diane Abbott, Tom Watson and Shami Chakrabarti called for a clearer position on backing a second referendum. Two of his allies, John McDonnell and Diane Abbott, hardened their positions on Monday in favour of a people’s vote, after Labour plunged to third place in the European elections.
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, also appeared to harden his stance in favour of a people’s vote, saying: “If, as is likely, a general election is not possible, then I support going back to the people in another referendum.” Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader, Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, and Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, also added to the growing calls for a second referendum with Labour campaigning to remain.
The demands for a second referendum grew after the party fell to third place in the European elections behind the Brexit party and Liberal Democrats. With 10 of 12 regions counted, Labour lost ground to both the Lib Dems and Greens, gaining 14.6% of the UK vote. The party also came second behind the Lib Dems in Islington, the patch of both Corbyn and Thornberry. Corbyn said he backed getting a Brexit agreement with the EU and then a public vote. He said he would consult Labour members, affiliates, MPs and shadow cabinet ministers as the party’s approach to Brexit is reviewed.
In a statement after the results, Corbyn said: “With the Conservatives disintegrating and unable to govern, and parliament deadlocked, this issue will have to go back to the people, whether through a general election or a public vote. Over the coming days we will have conversations across our party and movement, and reflect on these results on both sides of the Brexit divide.” Pressed on whether he would firmly commit to a second referendum with Labour campaigning for remain, Corbyn said: “What you have from me today is a commitment that our party is listening to members and its supporters and reaching out to other parties across the House of Commons to prevent a crashing out of the EU without a deal, a commitment that the future will of course be put to a public vote as we have already proposed in parliament.”
Until now, Labour’s official line has been that a second referendum should be on the table as an option only if a general election could not be achieved. Asked whether a public vote meant a general election or a referendum, he said: “The priority at the moment, I think, is for this government to call for a general election and actually have a general election so we can decide the future … John [McDonnell] has also pointed out, and I support this, that any final deal has to be put to a public vote and that we are prepared to do.”
However, a push for the party’s policy to shift fully to a second referendum began on Sunday with Watson, the deputy leader, criticising Labour’s “mealy-mouthed” approach to the issue which pleases neither side. He refused to confirm that Labour would campaign to remain in the EU in another public vote. “What this party does is support an agreement with the European Union to prevent crashing out, supports putting that proposal, when agreed, to a public vote,” he said.
The demands for a second referendum grew after the party fell to third place in the European elections behind the Brexit party and Liberal Democrats. With 10 of 12 regions counted, Labour lost ground to both the Lib Dems and Greens, gaining 14.6% of the UK vote. The party also came second behind the Lib Dems in Islington, the patch of Corbyn and Thornberry.
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After the close of polls, Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, also called for a clear shift in favour of a people’s vote, with Labour campaigning to remain. “We went into an election where the most important issue was ‘what was our view on leaving the European Union?’ and we were not clear about it,” she told the BBC. “We were not clear on the one single thing that people wanted to hear and that wasn’t their fault.” Until now, Labour’s official line has been that a second referendum should be on the table as an option only if a general election could not be achieved, but a push for the party’s policy to shift fully to a second referendum began on Sunday with Watson, the deputy leader, criticising Labour’s “mealy-mouthed” approach to the issue, which pleases neither side.
Abbott, the shadow home secretary, added to calls for a rethink, saying: “We have to take the time to analyse the EU vote. But, when we come in third after the Brexit party, that is a clue something is wrong with our strategy. We need to listen to our members and take a clearer line on a public vote.” After the polls closed, Thornberry also called for a clear shift in favour of a people’s vote, with Labour campaigning to remain. “We went into an election where the most important issue was ‘what was our view on leaving the European Union?’ and we were not clear about it,” she told the BBC. “We were not clear on the one single thing that people wanted to hear and that wasn’t their fault.”
In a tweet, McDonnell said it was time to “unite our party & country by taking [the] issue back to people in a public vote.” He subsequently clarified that a public vote could mean either a general election or referendum, but he said that the former was now unlikely and the threat of a Tory no-deal Brexit was rising. Abbottadded to calls for a rethink. “We have to take the time to analyse the EU vote but when we come in third after the Brexit party, that is a clue something is wrong with our strategy. We need to listen to our members and take a clearer line on a public vote.”
“Of course I want a general election. But I realise how difficult this is to secure. I will do anything I can to block no deal Brexit. So yes if, as likely GE not possible, then I support going back to the people in another referendum,” he said. McDonnell said in a tweet that it was time to “unite our party & country by taking [the] issue back to people in a public vote.” He subsequently clarified that a public vote could mean either a general election or referendum. He said the former was now unlikely and the threat of a Tory no-deal Brexit was rising.
Adding to the pressure, Chakrabarti, the shadow attorney general, had said on Sunday that it was “past midnight” for Labour to change its policy in favour of backing a second referendum. “Of course I want a general election. But I realise how difficult this is to secure. I will do anything I can to block no-deal Brexit. So yes if, as likely GE not possible, then I support going back to the people in another referendum,” he said.
David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham, delivered a stinging critique of the party’s approach, telling the BBC Radio 4 Today programme it had “resuscitated the Lib Dems, handed votes to the Greens and facilitated Nigel Farage’s Brexit party.” Shami Chakrabarti, the shadow attorney general, had said on Sunday that it was “past midnight” for Labour to change its policy in favour of backing a second referendum.
He called for “either an all-member ballot or a special conference but we simply cannot go on with this mealy-mouthed approach to a confirmatory vote.” Starmer stepped up the pressure saying: “The only way to break the Brexit impasse is to go back to the public with a choice between a credible leave option and remain.”
He accused Labour of “hiding on the biggest issue of the day” and described it as the worst campaign he had seen in 20 years of politics.” David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham, delivered a stinging critique of the party’s approach, telling the BBC Radio 4 Today programme it had “resuscitated the Lib Dems, handed votes to the Greens and facilitated Nigel Farage’s Brexit party”.
However, any move towards a second referendum would be strongly opposed by others in the party who believe it would cause a break with Labour’s traditional northern heartlands. In response to calls for a public vote, a number of senior Labour figures, including Ian Lavery, the party chair, defended the party’s position of trying to secure a “Labour Brexit” before resorting to a second referendum.
Lavery tweeted: “The country is now more polarised than ever. Very toxic very unpleasant! UK Labour we WILL NEVER turn our backs on the 48% or the 52% we will seek the real solutions that will heal society and bring together the 100%.”
Len McCluskey accuses Tom Watson of anti-Corbyn plotLen McCluskey accuses Tom Watson of anti-Corbyn plot
Jon Trickett, the shadow cabinet office minister who is close to Corbyn, retweeted a comment asking why Thornberry was “unilaterally disagreeing with party policy live on BBC when we all fought a general election on a manifesto to respect the result of the referendum.” He accused Labour of “hiding on the biggest issue of the day” and described it as the worst campaign he had seen in 20 years of politics.
Another ally of Corbyn, Dan Carden, the shadow development secretary, made the case that Labour “doesn’t simply define people by the way they voted in 2016”. Several senior Labour figures, however, including Ian Lavery, the party chair, defended the party’s position of trying to secure a “Labour Brexit” before resorting to a second referendum.
Yvonne Fovargue, the Labour MP for Makerfield, pledged to maintain her opposition to a second referendum. She said: “We need to respect the result and leave the EU with a pragmatic deal.” Lavery tweeted: “The country is now more polarised than ever. Very toxic very unpleasant! UK Labour we WILL NEVER turn our backs on the 48% or the 52% we will seek the real solutions that will heal society and bring together the 100%.”
On Sunday, Len McCluskey, the general secretary of Unite, accused Watson of using the issue of a second referendum to organise a challenge on Corbyn’s leadership, attacking him for being an ineffective Machiavelli.
LabourLabour
BrexitBrexit
European parliamentary elections 2019European parliamentary elections 2019
Jeremy CorbynJeremy Corbyn
Emily ThornberryEmily Thornberry
Tom WatsonTom Watson
Diane AbbottDiane Abbott
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