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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Jeremy Corbyn dismisses Tony Blair’s latest attempt to halt Brexit with tougher immigration policies | Jeremy Corbyn dismisses Tony Blair’s latest attempt to halt Brexit with tougher immigration policies |
| (1 day later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn has dismissed Tony Blair’s latest intervention to try to halt Brexit, saying he did not know “the point of his interview”. | Jeremy Corbyn has dismissed Tony Blair’s latest intervention to try to halt Brexit, saying he did not know “the point of his interview”. |
| The Labour leader resumed his feud with his most successful predecessor, arguing he had failed to make his case for trying to change the minds of the British public. | The Labour leader resumed his feud with his most successful predecessor, arguing he had failed to make his case for trying to change the minds of the British public. |
| At the weekend, Mr Blair proposed tough new rules to allow Britain to curb EU immigration, to persuade voters such restrictions were possible without leaving the bloc. | At the weekend, Mr Blair proposed tough new rules to allow Britain to curb EU immigration, to persuade voters such restrictions were possible without leaving the bloc. |
| Asked if he “supported” that position, Mr Corbyn said: “No, because he seemed not to understand the economic policies of the Labour party and I was surprised at that. | Asked if he “supported” that position, Mr Corbyn said: “No, because he seemed not to understand the economic policies of the Labour party and I was surprised at that. |
| On whether it would tougher immigration restrictions might be possible, within EU rules, he replied: “I’m not quite sure what he means by that. | On whether it would tougher immigration restrictions might be possible, within EU rules, he replied: “I’m not quite sure what he means by that. |
| “If he agrees with me on the question of undercutting of workers by the attacks on working conditions then okay, but he didn’t specify what he meant by that. | “If he agrees with me on the question of undercutting of workers by the attacks on working conditions then okay, but he didn’t specify what he meant by that. |
| “I’m not quite sure what the point of his interview was actually.” | “I’m not quite sure what the point of his interview was actually.” |
| The cold reaction – even in a BBC interview in which Mr Corbyn left open possible support for permanent single market membership – is probably explained by Mr Blair’s harsh words about the current Labour leader. | The cold reaction – even in a BBC interview in which Mr Corbyn left open possible support for permanent single market membership – is probably explained by Mr Blair’s harsh words about the current Labour leader. |
| A day earlier, Mr Blair had turned his fire on Mr Corbyn’s “anti-business old-fashioned leftist programmes”, which would exacerbate the damage from Brexit. | A day earlier, Mr Blair had turned his fire on Mr Corbyn’s “anti-business old-fashioned leftist programmes”, which would exacerbate the damage from Brexit. |
| He said the only conceivable way to make a success of Brexit was to turn Britain into a Singapore-style low-tax, low-regulation country competing with the EU. | He said the only conceivable way to make a success of Brexit was to turn Britain into a Singapore-style low-tax, low-regulation country competing with the EU. |
| But, Mr Blair told the BBC 's Andrew Marr programme: “The risk is the British people won't vote for that, they are not going to vote for the huge economic and social restructuring - to the changes to the health service and other things that that would require. | But, Mr Blair told the BBC 's Andrew Marr programme: “The risk is the British people won't vote for that, they are not going to vote for the huge economic and social restructuring - to the changes to the health service and other things that that would require. |
| “And the risk is actually that we have a Brexit followed by, I'm afraid, an unreconstructed leftist programme from Labour, and if you combine those two things together in my view we will be in a very serious situation as a country.” | “And the risk is actually that we have a Brexit followed by, I'm afraid, an unreconstructed leftist programme from Labour, and if you combine those two things together in my view we will be in a very serious situation as a country.” |
| Mr Blair commended the way Mr Corbyn fought the general election campaign, but said that “doesn't make that programme right”. | Mr Blair commended the way Mr Corbyn fought the general election campaign, but said that “doesn't make that programme right”. |
| The Prime Minister has been blamed for allowing European migration to expand unchecked during his decade in power until 2007, fuelling support for Brexit. | The Prime Minister has been blamed for allowing European migration to expand unchecked during his decade in power until 2007, fuelling support for Brexit. |
| On Marr, he admitted open borders were no longer appropriate, putting his name to a report calling for tighter domestic controls and negotiated restrictions to free movement rules with the EU. | On Marr, he admitted open borders were no longer appropriate, putting his name to a report calling for tighter domestic controls and negotiated restrictions to free movement rules with the EU. |
| This would fulfil the will of the people expressed in last year's Brexit vote while allowing Britain to stay in the EU, Mr Blair argued. | This would fulfil the will of the people expressed in last year's Brexit vote while allowing Britain to stay in the EU, Mr Blair argued. |
| Mr Blair then urged pro-EU MPs of all parties to defy their leaders and start campaigning publicly to halt Brexit, saying: “Put this case to people, maybe they will listen.” | Mr Blair then urged pro-EU MPs of all parties to defy their leaders and start campaigning publicly to halt Brexit, saying: “Put this case to people, maybe they will listen.” |