60% of Labour voters back People’s Vote
SIX out of 10 Labour voters across the North East back the party leadership’s decision to support another referendum on Brexit, according a new opinion poll.
It comes as the Labour leadership considers whether to back calls from Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson for a “confirmatory ballot” on Theresa May’s proposed Brexit withdrawal deal, which would give voters the chance to cancel Brexit entirely.
A YouGov survey commissioned by the People’s Vote campaign, which supports a second referendum, found 60% of Labour voters in the region support “a public vote on any final Brexit deal”, with 25% saying they oppose the idea and 15% saying they don’t know.
The survey also found 67% of Labour voters believe leaving the EU would lead to more manufacturing companies announcing they are closing factories or withdrawing investment. The People’s Vote campaign said the findings show there is strong support for Labour’s “new policy” of backing a new referendum.
And it said fears Labour risks alienating millions of voters in its heartland areas are unfounded.
The findings appear to have been published in an attempt to put pressure on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the shadow cabinet to give formal backing to a second referendum.
This would mean ordering or “whipping” Labour MPs to vote for a referendum when the idea is put forward in the House of Commons.
Some senior Labour figures such as Tom Watson, the party’s deputy leader, have suggested this is Labour policy, but others are far more sceptical and party chair Ian Lavery, MP for Wansbeck, has warned a second referendum would be “toxic”.
Mr Wilson and fellow Labour backbencher Peter Kyle are promoting a plan to approve Mrs May’s deal subject to a referendum, which would offer the choice between leaving with a deal and remaining in the EU.
Peter Kellner, the former President of YouGov, said: “The myth that Labour voters in the party’s heartlands favour Brexit is just that – a myth.
“Those who voted Labour in 2017 in the Midlands and North favoured Remain by two-to-one in 2016, support Remain by three-to-one today; and, if given a referendum choice between Remain and Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement, back Remain by four-to-one.”
On Tuesday, MPs are due to vote on whether to accept the proposed Brexit withdrawal agreement negotiated by PM Theresa May.
If they reject her deal there will be a vote on Wednesday on whether to leave the EU without a deal.
And if MPs also reject this option then a vote will be held on Thursday to decide whether to delay
Brexit, which is currently due to take place on
March 29.