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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/aug/19/labour-may-stay-neutral-if-second-referendum-is-between-its-brexit-deal-or-remain
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| Labour may stay neutral if referendum is between its Brexit deal or remain | Labour may stay neutral if referendum is between its Brexit deal or remain |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn has left the door open to staying neutral in a second referendum if the choice were between a Labour Brexit deal and staying in the EU, after his shadow chancellor, John McDonnell suggested he would campaign to remain in any circumstances. | Jeremy Corbyn has left the door open to staying neutral in a second referendum if the choice were between a Labour Brexit deal and staying in the EU, after his shadow chancellor, John McDonnell suggested he would campaign to remain in any circumstances. |
| The Labour leader was clear that the party would campaign to remain against a no-deal Brexit, as he pledged to do everything possible to prevent crashing out on 31 October. | The Labour leader was clear that the party would campaign to remain against a no-deal Brexit, as he pledged to do everything possible to prevent crashing out on 31 October. |
| But when asked if the party would stay neutral given a choice between a deal negotiated by Labour and remaining in the EU, Corbyn did not say which side the party would support. | But when asked if the party would stay neutral given a choice between a deal negotiated by Labour and remaining in the EU, Corbyn did not say which side the party would support. |
| “In a general election, we will put forward the opportunity for people in this country to have the final say,” he said on Monday. “It is not a rerun of 2016. It is simply saying the people of this country should make the final decision. | “In a general election, we will put forward the opportunity for people in this country to have the final say,” he said on Monday. “It is not a rerun of 2016. It is simply saying the people of this country should make the final decision. |
| “If it is no deal versus remain then obviously John McDonnell and others made it very clear we would support remain. If there is the opportunity for some other option to be put then that will be put. I want to bring people together.” | “If it is no deal versus remain then obviously John McDonnell and others made it very clear we would support remain. If there is the opportunity for some other option to be put then that will be put. I want to bring people together.” |
| MPs have backed the motion to allow a debate on a bill that would prevent a no-deal Brexit. In return, prime minister Boris Johnson says he will seek to hold an election, and will table a motion under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act. MPs will probably vote on this around 10pm | MPs have backed the motion to allow a debate on a bill that would prevent a no-deal Brexit. In return, prime minister Boris Johnson says he will seek to hold an election, and will table a motion under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act. MPs will probably vote on this around 10pm |
| Johnson had asked the Queen to prorogue parliament during this week. MPs were due to have a recess period anyway for the party conference season. If the prime minister gets his way, instead parliament may be dissolving for a snap election. | Johnson had asked the Queen to prorogue parliament during this week. MPs were due to have a recess period anyway for the party conference season. If the prime minister gets his way, instead parliament may be dissolving for a snap election. |
| The Labour and Conservative party conferences are due to be held on consecutive weeks - although MPs may be out campaigning instead. | The Labour and Conservative party conferences are due to be held on consecutive weeks - although MPs may be out campaigning instead. |
| This is the date that Johnson was proposing parliament returns for the Queen’s speech setting out a legislation programme for his government. | |
| The date on which the prime minister is suggesting a general election would be held if MPs vote to prevent a no-deal Brexit. | |
| EU leaders meet for the final European council summit before the UK's extension is due to expire. They could possibly agree a new deal at this point - with just about enough time for Johnson, or whoever is prime minister by then, to try and get it through parliament. | EU leaders meet for the final European council summit before the UK's extension is due to expire. They could possibly agree a new deal at this point - with just about enough time for Johnson, or whoever is prime minister by then, to try and get it through parliament. |
| The six-month article 50 extension will expire, and current prime minister Boris Johnson has pledged that the UK will leave the EU with or without a deal on that date. | The six-month article 50 extension will expire, and current prime minister Boris Johnson has pledged that the UK will leave the EU with or without a deal on that date. |
| He continued: “All I have been trying to do ever since the referendum is say there has to be an understanding of why communities around the country voted to leave because they see no investment, jobs or improvement in their livelihoods for a very long time and they are very, very angry. What we are offering is to transform our society and our economy.” | He continued: “All I have been trying to do ever since the referendum is say there has to be an understanding of why communities around the country voted to leave because they see no investment, jobs or improvement in their livelihoods for a very long time and they are very, very angry. What we are offering is to transform our society and our economy.” |
| Asked whether he would personally campaign to remain in those circumstances, he said: “We have been very clear that in accordance with the democratic decision taken by our conference last year, an incoming Labour government will facilitate a choice where everyone will have a choice between a deal or remaining in the European Union.” | Asked whether he would personally campaign to remain in those circumstances, he said: “We have been very clear that in accordance with the democratic decision taken by our conference last year, an incoming Labour government will facilitate a choice where everyone will have a choice between a deal or remaining in the European Union.” |
| The precedents for neutrality would be the 1975 referendum, when the then Labour prime minister, Harold Wilson, allowed his cabinet to campaign on either side for and against membership of the European Community, while David Cameron also made the same decision for the Conservative party to stay neutral in the 2016 referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. | The precedents for neutrality would be the 1975 referendum, when the then Labour prime minister, Harold Wilson, allowed his cabinet to campaign on either side for and against membership of the European Community, while David Cameron also made the same decision for the Conservative party to stay neutral in the 2016 referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. |
| Earlier, McDonnell appeared to take a different line when he made clear he would campaign to remain in the EU whatever the other option put forward in a second referendum. | Earlier, McDonnell appeared to take a different line when he made clear he would campaign to remain in the EU whatever the other option put forward in a second referendum. |
| He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think generally people want to provide the electorate with a choice. I’ve made it clear from my personal position that I’ll be campaigning for remain. I think that’s the best choice. | He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think generally people want to provide the electorate with a choice. I’ve made it clear from my personal position that I’ll be campaigning for remain. I think that’s the best choice. |
| “But people will want to have a say and see whether there is another option. But we’ve had that debate in parliament and that’s why I’ve come down in favour of remain because I can’t see one that will have the same benefits as remain.” | “But people will want to have a say and see whether there is another option. But we’ve had that debate in parliament and that’s why I’ve come down in favour of remain because I can’t see one that will have the same benefits as remain.” |
| He was asked if he would be happy for the party as a whole to be “agnostic” on the issue, despite his personal wish to campaign to remain in the EU. | He was asked if he would be happy for the party as a whole to be “agnostic” on the issue, despite his personal wish to campaign to remain in the EU. |
| McDonnell replied: “That’s one of the issues we’ve got to debate in the party. You know our democratic processes. I know people get frustrated with this … but we’re a democratic party.” | McDonnell replied: “That’s one of the issues we’ve got to debate in the party. You know our democratic processes. I know people get frustrated with this … but we’re a democratic party.” |
| The party’s policy could change at this year’s conference, where there will be a strong effort from pro-EU groups to shift Labour towards being an official remain party in all circumstances. | The party’s policy could change at this year’s conference, where there will be a strong effort from pro-EU groups to shift Labour towards being an official remain party in all circumstances. |
| Corbyn set out his position in a speech in the key marginal Tory-held seat of Corby in the east Midlands, where he made the case that the UK’s problems run much deeper than Brexit. | Corbyn set out his position in a speech in the key marginal Tory-held seat of Corby in the east Midlands, where he made the case that the UK’s problems run much deeper than Brexit. |
| “A general election triggered by the Tory Brexit crisis will be a crossroads for our country. It will be a once-in-a-generation chance for a real change of direction, potentially on the scale of 1945. Things cannot go on as they were before,” he said. | “A general election triggered by the Tory Brexit crisis will be a crossroads for our country. It will be a once-in-a-generation chance for a real change of direction, potentially on the scale of 1945. Things cannot go on as they were before,” he said. |
| “However the Brexit crisis is resolved, the country faces a fundamental choice. Labour offers the real change of direction the country needs: a radical programme to rebuild and transform communities and public services, invest in the green jobs and high-tech industries of the future, and take action to tackle inequality and climate crisis.” | “However the Brexit crisis is resolved, the country faces a fundamental choice. Labour offers the real change of direction the country needs: a radical programme to rebuild and transform communities and public services, invest in the green jobs and high-tech industries of the future, and take action to tackle inequality and climate crisis.” |
| The Labour leader accused Boris Johnson of being a “fake populist and phoney outsider” in the mould of Donald Trump as he set out his election pitch to transform the country as radically as Labour did in 1945 with the creation of the welfare state. | The Labour leader accused Boris Johnson of being a “fake populist and phoney outsider” in the mould of Donald Trump as he set out his election pitch to transform the country as radically as Labour did in 1945 with the creation of the welfare state. |
| He also said Labour would do everything possible to stop a no-deal Brexit and called on opposition MPs and rebel Tories to “get on board” with his plan to hold a no-confidence vote, then form a caretaker government to extend article 50 and hold a general election. | He also said Labour would do everything possible to stop a no-deal Brexit and called on opposition MPs and rebel Tories to “get on board” with his plan to hold a no-confidence vote, then form a caretaker government to extend article 50 and hold a general election. |
| Asked whether he could support another caretaker leader if he could not gain cross-party support, he said it was a role for the opposition leader to take on. | Asked whether he could support another caretaker leader if he could not gain cross-party support, he said it was a role for the opposition leader to take on. |
| Following the leak of documents warning of protests and food shortages in the event of a no-deal Brexit, he attacked Johnson for the Conservative party’s “failure on Brexit, and its lurch to the hard right, which has provoked the crisis our country faces this autumn”. | Following the leak of documents warning of protests and food shortages in the event of a no-deal Brexit, he attacked Johnson for the Conservative party’s “failure on Brexit, and its lurch to the hard right, which has provoked the crisis our country faces this autumn”. |
| “Boris Johnson’s government wants to use no deal to create a tax haven for the super-rich on the shores of Europe and sign a sweetheart trade deal with Donald Trump: not so much a no-deal Brexit as a Trump-deal Brexit,” he said. | “Boris Johnson’s government wants to use no deal to create a tax haven for the super-rich on the shores of Europe and sign a sweetheart trade deal with Donald Trump: not so much a no-deal Brexit as a Trump-deal Brexit,” he said. |
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| Brexit | Brexit |
| Jeremy Corbyn | Jeremy Corbyn |
| John McDonnell | John McDonnell |
| European Union | European Union |
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