closes Labour’s Brexit
consultation by challenging the next prime minister to put their
deal to the people in a referendum, in which Labour would
campaign for remain against No Deal or a damaging Tory
Brexit
This morning, , Leader of the , convened a meeting of the
party’s shadow cabinet to agree a settled Brexit position. The
will now challenge whoever
emerges as the leader of the Conservative Party to have the
confidence to put their deal to the people in a referendum, with
remain on the ballot, in which Labour would campaign for
remain.
Today’s announcement, follows weeks of consultations across the
party and wider labour movement, as has sought to bring the whole
movement together around a common position.
has written to every Labour
member to lay out the party’s policy.
’s email to all members:
Dear member,
I am proud to lead the – the greatest political
party and social movement in this country.
We all recognise that the issue of Brexit has been divisive
in our communities and sometimes in our party too.
As democrats, Labour accepted the result of the 2016
referendum. In our 2017 manifesto, Labour also committed to
oppose a No Deal Brexit and the Tories’ Brexit plans – which
threatened jobs, living standards, and the open multicultural
society that we as internationalists value so much.
I want to pay tribute to and the shadow Brexit team for
holding the Government to account during this process. That
helped secure a meaningful vote on their deal – which we then
defeated three times – including inflicting the largest ever
defeat on any Government. And following their refusal to publish
their legal advice, this Government became the first to be held
in contempt of Parliament.
Labour set out a compromise plan to try to bring the country
together based around a customs union, a strong single market
relationship and protection of environmental regulations and
rights at work. We continue to believe this is a sensible
alternative that could bring the country together.
But the Prime Minister refused to compromise and was unable
to deliver, so we ended cross-party talks.
Now both Tory leadership candidates are threatening a No Deal
Brexit - or at best a race to the bottom and a sweetheart deal
with Donald Trump: that runs down industry, opens up our NHS and
other public services to yet more privatisation, and shreds
environmental protections, rights at work and consumer
standards.
I have spent the past few weeks consulting with the shadow
cabinet, MPs, affiliated unions and the NEC. I have also had
feedback from members via the National Policy Forum consultation
on Brexit.
Whoever becomes the new Prime Minister should have the
confidence to put their deal, or No Deal, back to the people in a
public vote.
In those circumstances, I want to make it clear that Labour
would campaign for Remain against either No Deal or a Tory deal
that does not protect the economy and jobs.
Labour has a crucial, historic duty to safeguard jobs, rights
and living standards. But no Brexit outcome alone can do
that.
We need a general election. After nine years of austerity,
too many people in this country cannot find decent secure
well-paid work, and have to rely on public services that have
been severely cut back.
Our country is ravaged by inequality and rising poverty, huge
regional imbalances of investment, and the government is failing
to tackle the climate emergency facing us all.
That is why we need a Labour government to end austerity and
rebuild our country for the many not the few.
Yours
