Labour has a new Brexit policy – but will it survive media misrepresentation?
Labour has revised its policy on Brexit and – true to form – the UK’s right-wing media have got it wrong.
They’re saying Jeremy Corbyn’s party now supports remaining in the EU, and that isn’t right at all.
Labour will only support Brexit if it protects the economy, jobs, and UK citizens’ living standards – and will only campaign to remain in the EU if the Conservatives try to leave the bloc without those protections.
This is clearly the most sensible response to the 2016 referendum by any UK political party.
The Conservatives want Brexit on their terms – terms which would harm citizens’ human rights, working rights, environmental protections and more. If they don’t get their own way, they want to throw all their toys out of the pram and have a “no deal” Brexit.
The Brexit Party want a “no deal” Brexit under any circumstances – that would run down industry, open up the NHS and other public services to yet more privatisation, and shred environmental protections, rights at work and consumer standards.
The Liberal Democrats want to ignore the result of the referendum and force remaining in the EU on the UK’s population without giving anybody a say.
Labour wants a people’s vote (referendum) on whatever is proposed: A Tory deal, no deal or remaining. If the deal does not protect UK citizens and the economy, Labour will campaign for people to support remaining.
So Labour supports the best result for the people of the UK. No other party can say that.
Now: There is a by-election in Brecon and Radnorshire, where Brexit is certain to be one of the main issues.
Wouldn’t it be great if the people here were allowed to make up their own minds on the different parties’ policies, without the media trying to influence them?
The BBC was trying to do it on Politics Live today (June 9). I was tweeting in response to the nonsense, as you can see:
#PoliticsLive misleading on @UKLabour new #Brexit policy. @jeremycorbyn will only campaign for Remain if the @Conservatives offer 'no deal' or a deal that doesn't protect the economy and jobs. He'll support a Labour deal or one that DOES protect the economy/jobs. GET IT RIGHT!
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) July 9, 2019
They didn’t get it right.
"Is @UKLabour a party of #Brexit or Remain?" is a pointless question. Labour is DEMOCRATIC. It will support a #Brexit that won't harm the country. But it will campaign to remain if that isn't going to happen. That is actually the ONLY sensible position. #PoliticsLive
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) July 9, 2019
This is too complicated and too late, says @BuzzFeed woman. Well, there's a #ByElection in #BreconAndRadnorshire – how about the media agree NOT to misrepresent @UKLabour position to people here and see what voters do? How about it, #PoliticsLive ?
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) July 9, 2019
Well? How about it?
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What Jeremy Corbyn has actually said to members in an email today is that if there WERE a second referendum with ‘No Deal’ and ‘Remain’ then Labour would campaign for remain. He has not said who would be calling that referendum and what would happen if Labour negotiated a deal; Jeremy Corbyn has not said who would be calling a 2nd referendum and what Labour’s position would be if it negotiated a deal because that is up to conference to decide. I personally disagree with Jeremy Corbyn that a Tory deal or No Deal should be pitted against a ‘Remain’ option; that is a 2nd in/out referendum that gives the chance of the first one being overturned, which will dismay leave voters and increase the chance of them voting for ‘No Deal’. A vote on a Tory Deal or a No Deal could have a ‘General Election’ as an option. Or extending Article 50 as an option. There are other options that need discussing. ‘Remain’ makes it a 2nd in/out referendum in the minds of millions.
We do know what would happen if Labour negotiated a deal. If Labour wasn’t happy with what the EU had offered it would campaign against that deal.
A lot of the confusion is based on articles like this from ‘Labour List’ which reports the TU’s think a referendum with a Labour negotiated deal AND a ‘Remain’ deal is a likely second scenario, which is a crap argument; why would Labour negotiate a deal on EU withdrawal and then put ‘remain’ on a ballot paper against the deal it’s negotiated when putting it to the public vote? Who in Labour would then campaign for ‘remain’ against a Labour deal? Who is paid to formulate this?
https://labourlist.org/2019/07/labours-two-brexit-scenarios-as-set-out-by-trade-unions/?fbclid=IwAR1e4S8uEaru_OvfT7JFmOPf2nhtyNz8dYIahG9_odV0tSCPKlpWdX23h8A
Well put Mike. Labour’s position is nuanced and reflects underlying realities but the media wants simple polarised sound bites which further divides the public.
As usual, the Party with integrity gets the worst press!
Sensible policy decision. Let’s now see how the right wing media will distort the facts.
Sensible policy decision. Let’s now see how the right wig media distort the facts.