Labour shifts stance, backs new Brexit vote
Print Edition
In a significant shift, Britain鈥檚 main opposition Labour Party said yesterday that Britain鈥檚 next prime minister should hold a referendum on whether to leave the European Union or remain in the bloc.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the party would campaign to stay in the EU, if a referendum was called by whoever succeeds Prime Minister Theresa May. She announced her resignation last month after failing to get Parliament to back her divorce deal with the bloc.
Lawmakers Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt are competing to replace May as Conservative Party leader and prime minister. The winner of the contest is due to take office later this month and will have barely more than three months to win support for a Brexit deal before Britain鈥檚 scheduled October 31 departure date.
In a letter to party members, Corbyn said that the new prime minister 鈥渟hould have the confidence to put their deal, or no-deal, back to the people in a public vote.鈥
鈥淚n 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.鈥
Labour鈥檚 opponents 鈥 and many supporters 鈥 have accused the party of dithering over Brexit for fear of alienating voters on either side of the national divide over Europe. Corbyn, a longtime critic of the EU, has resisted calls for a second referendum, saying Labour must respect voters鈥 2016 decision to leave.
The left-of-center party has previously not only rejected May鈥檚 deal, but also ruled out leaving the EU without an agreement, and called for an election that the party hopes will bring a Labour government to power.
But the party鈥檚 poor showing in recent local and European elections suggests Labour is losing support to parties, including the Liberal Democrats and the Greens that advocate remaining in the EU.
Corbyn鈥檚 letter clarifies the party鈥檚 position 鈥 up to a point. It鈥檚 still unclear what Labour would do about Brexit if it formed a government.
Labour lawmaker Hilary Benn, who heads Parliament鈥檚 Brexit Committee, said: 鈥淭his is a very significant moment.鈥
鈥淲e saw what a lack of clarity did to Labour in the European elections. We got 14 percent of the vote,鈥 he said.
Tory contenders Hunt and Johnson were due to square off later yesterday in their only head-to-head debate in the campaign. Both vow to succeed where May failed and take Britain out of the EU 鈥 even if that means leaving without an agreement on divorce terms and future relations.
Most businesses and economists think a no-deal Brexit would plunge Britain into recession as customs checks take effect at United Kingdom ports and tariffs are imposed on trade between the UK and the EU.
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