This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36135768

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Frank Field warns Labour of EU vote 'danger' Frank Field warns Labour of EU referendum 'danger'
(about 1 hour later)
Labour risks losing "a swathe" of voters to UKIP by campaigning to remain in the EU, one of its MPs has warned.Labour risks losing "a swathe" of voters to UKIP by campaigning to remain in the EU, one of its MPs has warned.
Frank Field said Labour's traditional voters had seen their wages, housing and services hit by "open-door" immigration from Eastern Europe.Frank Field said Labour's traditional voters had seen their wages, housing and services hit by "open-door" immigration from Eastern Europe.
He claimed 40% of them wanted to quit the EU - but their views were not being properly represented by the party.He claimed 40% of them wanted to quit the EU - but their views were not being properly represented by the party.
Mr Field is among about a dozen - out of 229 - Labour MPs campaigning to leave the EU in 23 June's referendum.Mr Field is among about a dozen - out of 229 - Labour MPs campaigning to leave the EU in 23 June's referendum.
The vast majority are part of Labour's remain campaign, headed by Alan Johnson, who will tell trade union members later that EU membership is "vital" to protect workers rights. The vast majority are part of Labour's remain campaign, headed by Alan Johnson, who on Tuesday claimed that a vote to stay in the EU would be as important as the election of Labour's reforming government in 1945, which led to the creation of the NHS and the welfare state.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has expressed Eurosceptic views in the past, has thrown his weight behind remaining in the EU, arguing that that is what the majority of the party and the trade unions want. 'Swivel-eyed alliance'
He used his first major speech of the campaign to argue that the EU was in need of reform but leaving it would lead the Conservative government to launch a "bonfire" of workers rights. "President Obama was right - being in the EU doesn't moderate British influence - it magnifies it," he said in a speech to shopworkers' union USDAW.
And he insisted there was nothing "half-hearted" about his commitment to the Remain cause, amid criticism from Labour leave campaigners that he had only adopted the position to maintain party unity and did not really believe in it. The former home secretary said the EU was not perfect but Labour had to fight for a Remain vote to keep "the swivel-eyed alliance of the right of the Tory Party, and UKIP, away from hard won workers' rights".
Mr Field, who has called in the past for Labour to replace Mr Corbyn before the next general election, said he was out of step with the views of many Labour voters. His message echoed that of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who used his first major speech of the campaign to argue that leaving the EU would lead the Conservative government to launch a "bonfire" of workers rights.
Mr Field told the BBC's Daily Politics he believed Mr Corbyn was now "secure" as Labour leader and talk of MPs overthrowing him was "absurd". Mr Corbyn, who has expressed Eurosceptic views in the past, insisted there was nothing "half-hearted" about his commitment to the Remain cause, amid criticism from Labour leave campaigners that he had only adopted the position to maintain party unity and did not really believe in it.
But he said the party had lost nearly a million votes to UKIP at last year's general election and more would follow if it did not change its position on Europe. Mr Field said many of the workers' rights adopted by the EU had come from Britain, and he said the party's MPs were out of step with the opinions of many Labour voters.
"The last thing Jeremy needs to do is to undermine further the traditional Labour vote, much of which wishes to leave the European Union."The last thing Jeremy needs to do is to undermine further the traditional Labour vote, much of which wishes to leave the European Union.
"For the party leader more actively to campaign for the Remain campaign will push even more Labour voters into the arms of UKIP.""For the party leader more actively to campaign for the Remain campaign will push even more Labour voters into the arms of UKIP."
In his speech, he suggested the EU referendum could turn out to be "the second-longest suicide note in Labour's history" - behind the manifesto that preceded its 1983 general election drubbing. 'Reliable analysis'
The Birkenhead MP, who was welfare reform minister on Tony Blair's first government, was the first senior Labour figure to raise concerns about the impact of mass immigration from the EU on social cohesion and wages. The Birkenhead MP, who was welfare reform minister in Tony Blair's first government, suggested the EU referendum could turn out to be "the second-longest suicide note in Labour's history" - behind the manifesto that preceded its 1983 general election drubbing.
'Workers' rights' Mr Field has called in the past for Labour to replace its leader before the next general election but he told the BBC's Daily Politics he believed Mr Corbyn was now "secure" and talk of MPs overthrowing him was "absurd".
The Leave campaign has focused on immigration this week with interventions from Michael Gove and Boris Johnson as it attempted to regain the initiative following warnings about the economic effect of a vote to leave.
In his speech on Tuesday former Home Secretary Alan Johnson, who is leading Labour's Remain campaign, says that a vote to stay in the EU would be as important as the election of Labour's reforming government in 1945, which led to the creation of the NHS and expanded welfare.
"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," he will tell the Usdaw union's conference.
"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."
Elsewhere in the EU debate, the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee published what it said was a "reliable, unbiased analysis" of the issues involved.Elsewhere in the EU debate, the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee published what it said was a "reliable, unbiased analysis" of the issues involved.
The cross-party committee, which was divided on whether to back EU membership, said it had chosen not to endorse either side.The cross-party committee, which was divided on whether to back EU membership, said it had chosen not to endorse either side.
Instead it urged voters to consider the UK's trading relationship with the rest of the EU and the rest of the world, its "international representation and reputation" and how the EU and its policies might develop in the future.Instead it urged voters to consider the UK's trading relationship with the rest of the EU and the rest of the world, its "international representation and reputation" and how the EU and its policies might develop in the future.
Committee chairman Crispin Blunt said: "The referendum offers the British people a once-in-a-generation opportunity to chart a course for the UK's role in the world.
"Voters should consider not only the short-term consequences of staying or leaving but the long-term opportunities and challenges."