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| Brexit: Labour delegates back Corbyn and reject plan to commit now to remain – live news | Brexit: Labour delegates back Corbyn and reject plan to commit now to remain – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| At Labour conference last year there were many delegates going around wearing T shirts saying “Love Corbyn, Hate Brexit”. You don’t see those around anymore - in the months when Jeremy Corbyn was dragging his feet about backing a second referendum, the message no longer seemed consistent - but it is worth recalling the slogan because it helps puts today’s vote in perspective. A significant number of Labour members have decided that, when faced with a choice, loving Corbyn comes first. | |
| I say “significant number” because, without a card vote, we don’t know what the exact voting figures were, and whether Corbyn would have won the votes without the support of the unions. The unions have 50% of the vote at conference and most of them were opposed to the ‘back remain now’ composite 13. It was only going to pass if the vast majority of CLP delegates supported it. Last night that looked like a distinct possibility; of the 90 motions submitted by CLPs on Brexit, 81 of them were calling for Labour to back remain. But the decision by Momentum this morning to advise its supporters to vote against composite 13 (see 10.45am and 4.48pm) seems to have swayed the vote. About 70% of CLP delegates are said to be Momentum supporters. Forced to make a choice, a largish number of them - certainly enough to overturn expectations - lined up behind the leadership. | |
| Listening to the debate, it was clear that the argument that the party should unite behind Corbyn - and that passing composite 13 would be seen by the media as a terrible defeat for him - carried weight. | |
| But there were also legitimate objections to composite 13 on policy grounds. Unite’s Howard Beckett (see 4.38pm) put this argument as well as anyone, saying it would be a “car crash” if Labour was committed to obtaining a Brexit deal that it was already determined to campaign against. | |
| The remainers think Labour will haemorrhage votes to the Lib Dems and the Greens at the general election under the Corbyn policy that will now remain unchallenged until the election. The Corbynites think turning Labour into a remain-only party would be even more disastrous. There is no way of knowing which analysis is more correct. And a huge amount will depend on what has happened to Brexit by the time the election actually happens. It is quite possible that both arguments are right. | |
| Still, this is a very good night for Jeremy Corbyn, who has won a clear victory over his remain opponents in the party. It is probably a good night for Jo Swinson too, as the Lib Dems and the Greens now have the undiluted remain field (in England, at least) all to themselves. What Boris Johnson think is harder to guess, but the Tories have been trying hard to brand Labour as an anti-Brexit, remain party (not because they think it will help Labour, presumably), and tonight’s vote undermines that line of attack. | |
| Nichols takes the vote on composite 14 (the pro-leadership one). It gets carried. | Nichols takes the vote on composite 14 (the pro-leadership one). It gets carried. |
| So the two pro-leadership motions have been carried. | So the two pro-leadership motions have been carried. |
| Some delegates are calling for a card vote. | Some delegates are calling for a card vote. |
| Wendy Nichols, the chair, seems to be resisting this. | Wendy Nichols, the chair, seems to be resisting this. |
| She says whichever way she goes, she will be in trouble. | She says whichever way she goes, she will be in trouble. |
| She says: “In my view it was carried.” | She says: “In my view it was carried.” |
| Then she corrects herself. She says it was lost. | Then she corrects herself. She says it was lost. |
| Earlier, just before she announced the vote, she said that she thought it went one way, but that Jennie (Formby, Labour’s general secretary, who is on the platform) thought it went another way. Nichols did not say who thought what, but when she announced the result initially (see 5.42pm) she said it had been lost. | Earlier, just before she announced the vote, she said that she thought it went one way, but that Jennie (Formby, Labour’s general secretary, who is on the platform) thought it went another way. Nichols did not say who thought what, but when she announced the result initially (see 5.42pm) she said it had been lost. |
| A delegate says this is one of the most important decisions facing the party. There should be a card vote. | A delegate says this is one of the most important decisions facing the party. There should be a card vote. |
| Nichols says the vote was lost. She wants the party to be right with itself. | Nichols says the vote was lost. She wants the party to be right with itself. |
| Delegates are now voting on composite 13. | Delegates are now voting on composite 13. |
| On a show of hands, it looks as if composite 13 has lost. | On a show of hands, it looks as if composite 13 has lost. |
| The chair says that was lost. | The chair says that was lost. |
| The conference has voted for the NEC motion on a show of hands. It was carried overwhelmingly. | The conference has voted for the NEC motion on a show of hands. It was carried overwhelmingly. |
| Some delegates are now singing “Oh, Jeremy Corbyn”. | Some delegates are now singing “Oh, Jeremy Corbyn”. |
| Delegates back NEC statement calling for party to postpone decision on who to campaign in referendum. | Delegates back NEC statement calling for party to postpone decision on who to campaign in referendum. |
| It is still possible that the contradictory motion, composite 13, could be carried. | It is still possible that the contradictory motion, composite 13, could be carried. |
| Delegates are about to vote on Brexit. | Delegates are about to vote on Brexit. |
| A woman makes a point of order, and complains that a large number of people have just come into the hall. Are they entitled to be here? The chair says anyone who is not a delegate should leave. | A woman makes a point of order, and complains that a large number of people have just come into the hall. Are they entitled to be here? The chair says anyone who is not a delegate should leave. |
| Starmer has now finished. At last year’s conference he want off script, saying all options would be on the table if Labour did not get a general election, including a referendum with remain as an option. That went slightly further than what had been agreed. But today he was strictly on message. He confirmed that he would vote remain in a referendum (something he has said before), but he did not take a side on the issue at the heart of this debate - the split between composite 13 and the NEC statement. See 10.10am. | Starmer has now finished. At last year’s conference he want off script, saying all options would be on the table if Labour did not get a general election, including a referendum with remain as an option. That went slightly further than what had been agreed. But today he was strictly on message. He confirmed that he would vote remain in a referendum (something he has said before), but he did not take a side on the issue at the heart of this debate - the split between composite 13 and the NEC statement. See 10.10am. |
| Starmer is now on his peroration. | Starmer is now on his peroration. |
| Conference, the Tories have failed: they’ve wrecked our economy, public services, and welfare state. They’ve wrecked our international reputation. Their time is up. | Conference, the Tories have failed: they’ve wrecked our economy, public services, and welfare state. They’ve wrecked our international reputation. Their time is up. |
| We have to beat them, and we will. We have to defeat Johnson, and we shall. And defeat his politics, to show that decency can triumph. We have to deliver a radical Labour government and give the people the final say on whether we remain in the EU. | We have to beat them, and we will. We have to defeat Johnson, and we shall. And defeat his politics, to show that decency can triumph. We have to deliver a radical Labour government and give the people the final say on whether we remain in the EU. |
| Starmer says Labour must recognise why people voted leave. | Starmer says Labour must recognise why people voted leave. |
| But Brexit is deeper and bigger than our relationship with the EU. We will never get past Brexit if we don’t understand why – when asked – so many millions said they wanted change. The people didn’t just speak. They shouted. Millions told us that the current political and economic system isn’t working. And they are right about that. | But Brexit is deeper and bigger than our relationship with the EU. We will never get past Brexit if we don’t understand why – when asked – so many millions said they wanted change. The people didn’t just speak. They shouted. Millions told us that the current political and economic system isn’t working. And they are right about that. |
| The status quo is bust. Inequality and injustice are everywhere. We need a fundamental shift in power, and wealth, and opportunity. That’s why our 2017 manifesto was so popular. We must build on it. | The status quo is bust. Inequality and injustice are everywhere. We need a fundamental shift in power, and wealth, and opportunity. That’s why our 2017 manifesto was so popular. We must build on it. |
| Only a Labour government will end child poverty. Only a Labour government will confront the moral disgrace of homelessness. Only a Labour government will transform our economy to end insecure work - raise wages – and create good new jobs across the country. Only a Labour government will tackle the climate emergency, so we can look at the next generation in the eye and say ‘we did not let you down’. | Only a Labour government will end child poverty. Only a Labour government will confront the moral disgrace of homelessness. Only a Labour government will transform our economy to end insecure work - raise wages – and create good new jobs across the country. Only a Labour government will tackle the climate emergency, so we can look at the next generation in the eye and say ‘we did not let you down’. |
| Starmer says he would campaign for remain. But he says he respects the rights of those to take a different view. | Starmer says he would campaign for remain. But he says he respects the rights of those to take a different view. |
| Conference, you know where I stand on the question of remain: I’ve said many times that I will campaign for it. But I profoundly respect those who take a different view. And conference, let’s go into this with our eyes open. | Conference, you know where I stand on the question of remain: I’ve said many times that I will campaign for it. But I profoundly respect those who take a different view. And conference, let’s go into this with our eyes open. |
| In 2016 Labour campaigned for remain. We did so because we are internationalists. We stand in solidarity with our friends and neighbours in Europe. We profoundly believe in peace, reconciliation, human rights and collaboration across borders. Socialist values. Our values. Then and now. And let those values guide us on the road ahead. | In 2016 Labour campaigned for remain. We did so because we are internationalists. We stand in solidarity with our friends and neighbours in Europe. We profoundly believe in peace, reconciliation, human rights and collaboration across borders. Socialist values. Our values. Then and now. And let those values guide us on the road ahead. |
| Starmer turns to the election. | Starmer turns to the election. |
| The choice is stark. Lose, and the 2020s could be another lost decade. A no-deal Brexit, on top of a hard-right agenda that will strip back rights and protections and sell off public services. Win, and Labour can pull this country back from the brink: end austerity, rebuild our public services, and invest in our communities. The stakes could not be higher. | The choice is stark. Lose, and the 2020s could be another lost decade. A no-deal Brexit, on top of a hard-right agenda that will strip back rights and protections and sell off public services. Win, and Labour can pull this country back from the brink: end austerity, rebuild our public services, and invest in our communities. The stakes could not be higher. |
| (I am posting the quotes from the text sent out by Labour. Starmer is making some slight changes to the text, but what I am posting is not in any was significantly different from what he is saying.) | (I am posting the quotes from the text sent out by Labour. Starmer is making some slight changes to the text, but what I am posting is not in any was significantly different from what he is saying.) |
| Starmer says Labour has to find a way forward. | Starmer says Labour has to find a way forward. |
| Too much has happened in the last three years for this now to be decided without the consent of the public. We need to ask the public whether they are prepared to leave with the best deal that can be secured. Or whether they wouldn’t rather remain in the EU. The people must have the final say. | Too much has happened in the last three years for this now to be decided without the consent of the public. We need to ask the public whether they are prepared to leave with the best deal that can be secured. Or whether they wouldn’t rather remain in the EU. The people must have the final say. |
| A referendum in which ‘remain’ should – and will – be on the ballot paper. Along with the best leave deal that can be secured. We owe it to those who want to leave to secure that leave deal and put it to them in a referendum. | A referendum in which ‘remain’ should – and will – be on the ballot paper. Along with the best leave deal that can be secured. We owe it to those who want to leave to secure that leave deal and put it to them in a referendum. |
| But if remain wins, we will remain a member of the EU – a full member of the EU. | But if remain wins, we will remain a member of the EU – a full member of the EU. |
| Starmer says a no-deal Brexit would be a disaster for the country. | Starmer says a no-deal Brexit would be a disaster for the country. |
| Theresa May’s government was called a zombie government. But at least she occasionally won a vote. | Theresa May’s government was called a zombie government. But at least she occasionally won a vote. |
| With this government, it is Johnson nil, Corbyn six. | With this government, it is Johnson nil, Corbyn six. |
| Parliament had to pass a law to stop a no-deal Brexit. | Parliament had to pass a law to stop a no-deal Brexit. |
| And yet Johnson’s first instinct is to break the law. | And yet Johnson’s first instinct is to break the law. |
| Starmer says if Johnson thinks he will be able to break the law, he has another thing coming. As soon as parliament returns, “we will be ready”. | Starmer says if Johnson thinks he will be able to break the law, he has another thing coming. As soon as parliament returns, “we will be ready”. |
| Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, is speaking now. | Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, is speaking now. |
| Last year the conference gave Labour a roadmap, he says. “You asked us to vote down Theresa May’s Brexit deal, and we did, three times.” | Last year the conference gave Labour a roadmap, he says. “You asked us to vote down Theresa May’s Brexit deal, and we did, three times.” |
| And they kept a referendum on the table. | And they kept a referendum on the table. |
| But now they face different challenges – a prime minister with no regard for the truth. | But now they face different challenges – a prime minister with no regard for the truth. |
| Starmer says he does not believe a word Johnson says. Johnson said Brexit would free up more money for the NHS. It won’t. He said prorogation was not about Brexit. But it was all about Brexit, he says. | Starmer says he does not believe a word Johnson says. Johnson said Brexit would free up more money for the NHS. It won’t. He said prorogation was not about Brexit. But it was all about Brexit, he says. |