'It's still pie in the sky': Remain voters on Corbyn and Brexit

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/feb/27/its-still-pie-in-the-sky-remain-voters-on-corbyn-and-brexit

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Boris Johnson’s Brexit position may be famously pro cake and pro eating it, but Guardian reading remain voters fear Labour’s own position may also be too heavily dependent on magical thinking.

While broadly encouraged by Jeremy Corbyn’s speech outlining Labour’s wish for a customs union with the EU, readers felt there were still more questions than answers about what a Labour Brexit would look like.

‘We need to stay in the single market at the very minimum’

How would Labour be negotiating Brexit differently? According to his speech in Coventry, Labour wants “a Brexit that puts the working people first”, though readers pointed to the leaked government analysis which said that even the softest of Brexits would have a significant economic impact.

Corbyn said that Labour would “negotiate a new and strong relationship with the single market that includes full tariff-free access and a floor under existing rights, standards and protections.”

Some Labour voters called for the party to commit to staying in the single market.

“Leaving the customs union would be economically disastrous. As would leaving the single market. As these things become clearer, I expect Labour to continue to adjust its position,” said Michael Ramchand, an IT consultant near Reading.

Sheena Beech, 60, a teaching assistant in Cheshire, warned that “backers of Brexit want to see a return to the dark days where they made the rules for workers. We have come too far to lose these protections”.

“Labour either doesn’t understand the problems with Brexit, or is simply trying to confuse the electorate,” said Julian Straker-Jones, 55, in mid-Glamorgan. “A customs union without the single market makes no sense.”

‘It’s still pie in the sky’

“Like the Conservatives, they’re wasting their time on pie-in-the-sky ideas”, said Chenoa Davidson, 27, an EFL teacher from Birmingham.

“The EU have been very clear - no cherry-picking - and the deadline to come up with a realistic plan is looming.

“The majority of Labour supporters oppose Brexit, especially the young, who are Corbyn’s core supporters. He shouldn’t let us down.”

We should be arguing for a second referendum

Andrew Parr, 56, a senior nurse practitioner in Sheffield, said he was “very disappointed” that Labour is still not advocating second referendum on the final Brexit deal.

Labour should be “calling for a meaningful referendum on the negotiated settlement, with the option of remaining in, now all the facts have become clear,” added Rich Baker, 55, in Gosport.

‘Labour is still running scared of Brexit voters’

We also heard from voters still unwilling to forgive Corbyn for his unenthusiastic interventions during the referendum campaign.

“Corbyn is reluctantly being forced to shift ground, but it’s not enough,” said Victoria Brownless, 46, in Surrey.

“I feel Labour’s position still reflects Corbyn’s personal views rather than the views of the party as a whole,” said Gillian Jones, in East Yorkshire. “He is incredibly slow moving.”

We heard from Conservative voters, who got in touch to remind us that a significant number of the party’s core support remains unconvinced by Brexit.

“I am one of the approximately 40% of Conservative voters who voted Remain,” said David Bebbington, 35, an information technology architect in Gloucesteshire.

“There is a large centre ground for the taking, but I am so appalled by what has happened to my beloved party.” He voted Lib Dem in 2007.

Jarrod Hart, 43, an engineer living in Cornwall, voted Liberal Democrat in last year’s general election out of frustration with Labour’s Brexit position.

“Labour is still running scared of people who voted Brexit because they were sold lies that austerity was Europe’s fault.”

“[The party] needs to tell its supporters that true Labour values mean we are stronger when we work together, as family, as a community, as a country and as a continent. When did they forget that?