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Forget a second referendum, Labour should focus on bringing the country together Labour shouldn’t be the party of leave or remain, but a force to unite the country
(about 5 hours later)
While hot takes on the European election results come in all flavours, there should be at least two things we all agree on. First, it was a bad night for Labour, and second, that the country is as bitterly divided as ever.While hot takes on the European election results come in all flavours, there should be at least two things we all agree on. First, it was a bad night for Labour, and second, that the country is as bitterly divided as ever.
As the Labour party wrestles with whether or not it backs a public vote, the clock ticks down to Halloween and our latest exit date. With a surging Brexit party and a Conservative leadership contest under way, the prospects for a more extreme version of departure grow by the day. As Conservative candidates seek to win back voters from the anti-EU populists, ruling out no deal is, for most, no longer an option.As the Labour party wrestles with whether or not it backs a public vote, the clock ticks down to Halloween and our latest exit date. With a surging Brexit party and a Conservative leadership contest under way, the prospects for a more extreme version of departure grow by the day. As Conservative candidates seek to win back voters from the anti-EU populists, ruling out no deal is, for most, no longer an option.
Polls in the run-up to the European elections showed that voters did not understand Labour’s position on Brexit. Conference had voted to leave all options on the table to stop a destructive Tory Brexit and our position has been fairly straightforward. However, with emotions running high on all sides, it has been difficult to hold the line, with remainers and leavers all expressing opinions publicly. Labour lost voters in all directions and polling appears to show middle-class voters moving to the Lib Dems and Greens, with working-class people moving to the Brexit party.Polls in the run-up to the European elections showed that voters did not understand Labour’s position on Brexit. Conference had voted to leave all options on the table to stop a destructive Tory Brexit and our position has been fairly straightforward. However, with emotions running high on all sides, it has been difficult to hold the line, with remainers and leavers all expressing opinions publicly. Labour lost voters in all directions and polling appears to show middle-class voters moving to the Lib Dems and Greens, with working-class people moving to the Brexit party.
As someone who has opposed a so-called public vote, not least because parliament has no majority for it in principle and nobody has the faintest idea what we would actually put on the ballot, I have been doggedly attacked by certain sections of the party, as well as those on the outside. It does feel that a certain portion of “leftwing intellectuals” are sneering at ordinary people and piling on those trying to convey the feelings of hundreds of thousands of Labour voters. Perhaps, in reflecting on the results, we should consider the effect all of this has had.As someone who has opposed a so-called public vote, not least because parliament has no majority for it in principle and nobody has the faintest idea what we would actually put on the ballot, I have been doggedly attacked by certain sections of the party, as well as those on the outside. It does feel that a certain portion of “leftwing intellectuals” are sneering at ordinary people and piling on those trying to convey the feelings of hundreds of thousands of Labour voters. Perhaps, in reflecting on the results, we should consider the effect all of this has had.
Corbyn could come out fighting with a rebellious remain and reform agenda | Ash SarkarCorbyn could come out fighting with a rebellious remain and reform agenda | Ash Sarkar
We’d do well to remember that Labour is an internationalist party of social and economic justice, not a party of leave or remain, and that the real divide in our country is between the haves and the have-nots. We cannot win a general election by simply fighting for the biggest share of 48% and, while some polling data suggests more people left Labour for the Greens and the Lib Dems, it is equally concerning to see leakage to the Brexit party. Remember, we not only need to hold on to what we got in 2017, but we need to win over even more people.We’d do well to remember that Labour is an internationalist party of social and economic justice, not a party of leave or remain, and that the real divide in our country is between the haves and the have-nots. We cannot win a general election by simply fighting for the biggest share of 48% and, while some polling data suggests more people left Labour for the Greens and the Lib Dems, it is equally concerning to see leakage to the Brexit party. Remember, we not only need to hold on to what we got in 2017, but we need to win over even more people.
The reason we are in this mess is because those in government who engineered the original referendum had no idea what to do if they lost. It was always simply assumed that remain would win and the question of membership of the EU would be sidelined for a generation. There was no vision of what leaving would look like, how we could do it or whether anyone would be consulted again.The reason we are in this mess is because those in government who engineered the original referendum had no idea what to do if they lost. It was always simply assumed that remain would win and the question of membership of the EU would be sidelined for a generation. There was no vision of what leaving would look like, how we could do it or whether anyone would be consulted again.
For this reason, probably more than all others, because the British people voted to leave the EU, the issue of Brexit has brought the government to a standstill and –despite the failures on the domestic front – smothered everything else. Parliament has found no majority for any option put before it, including a public vote, with the government suffering multiple historic defeats.For this reason, probably more than all others, because the British people voted to leave the EU, the issue of Brexit has brought the government to a standstill and –despite the failures on the domestic front – smothered everything else. Parliament has found no majority for any option put before it, including a public vote, with the government suffering multiple historic defeats.
Polling expert Professor John Curtice has lambasted the People’s Vote campaign because of its failure to attract any significant support from the leave side of the argument. Given that it is associated almost entirely with the remain campaign, it does raise the question as to why its proponents don’t simply issue a call to remain, rather than agitating for another referendum that could easily be won by leave.Polling expert Professor John Curtice has lambasted the People’s Vote campaign because of its failure to attract any significant support from the leave side of the argument. Given that it is associated almost entirely with the remain campaign, it does raise the question as to why its proponents don’t simply issue a call to remain, rather than agitating for another referendum that could easily be won by leave.
After the 2016 result and the energy-sapping deadlock in parliament because of a failure to prepare for what came next, we must never again fall into this trap. For some, the prospect of no deal is too frightening to countenance, but we need to be prepared for what is an ever growing threat.After the 2016 result and the energy-sapping deadlock in parliament because of a failure to prepare for what came next, we must never again fall into this trap. For some, the prospect of no deal is too frightening to countenance, but we need to be prepared for what is an ever growing threat.
If we do crash out on 31 October some on the right will be eager to exploit their newfound freedom to roll back protections in the workplace, exploit the environment and enrich themselves. We need to be united and ready to rally the entire Labour movement and all progressive forces in the country against this.If we do crash out on 31 October some on the right will be eager to exploit their newfound freedom to roll back protections in the workplace, exploit the environment and enrich themselves. We need to be united and ready to rally the entire Labour movement and all progressive forces in the country against this.
If the Tories do take us over the edge, we must be ready to spell out what a Labour future for our country looks like outside of the EU. If this happens, Britain will need a Labour party focused on tackling the injustices at the heart of the problems our country faces more than ever.If the Tories do take us over the edge, we must be ready to spell out what a Labour future for our country looks like outside of the EU. If this happens, Britain will need a Labour party focused on tackling the injustices at the heart of the problems our country faces more than ever.
So, to anyone who thinks no deal would be a disaster, particularly under a Tory government, stop the sneering attacks on those who want to see democracy respected. Stop the sniping and get squarely behind Jeremy Corbyn and a radical, redistributive Labour party that can bring the country together and build a future that is fair for all.So, to anyone who thinks no deal would be a disaster, particularly under a Tory government, stop the sneering attacks on those who want to see democracy respected. Stop the sniping and get squarely behind Jeremy Corbyn and a radical, redistributive Labour party that can bring the country together and build a future that is fair for all.
• Ian Lavery MP is chair of the Labour party• Ian Lavery MP is chair of the Labour party
BrexitBrexit
OpinionOpinion
LabourLabour
Jeremy CorbynJeremy Corbyn
European parliamentary elections 2019European parliamentary elections 2019
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