Labour’s Remain MPS say they won’t back Corbyn
Rebels fear they will be unelectable in the next election if they go against constituents’ wishes
JEREMY CORBYN was facing an increasingly divided Labour Party last night after Remain-supporting MPS warned they cannot back his position on Brexit because their constituents do not support it.
MPS in pro-remain constituencies said they cannot vote in favour of the leader’s position on leaving the European Union – which is seen as increasingly hardline – for fear of losing their seats in another general election.
Their admission means the deep split is likely to widen in the coming weeks unless Labour can reconcile the two opposing viewpoints.
It follows a rebellion by 49 Labour MPS over an amendment calling for the Government to retain access to the single market after Brexit which weakened Mr Corbyn’s ability to oppose Theresa May’s plans.
It was led by a group of Remain-supporting Labour MPS, many of whom have already received letters and emails calling on them to support Liberal Democrat efforts to soften the UK’S exit, sources told The Daily Telegraph.
They warned of growing frustration and a determination to act as a backstop against dropping out of the single market, putting Labour MPS on a collision course with Mr Corbyn who has said the UK should leave the market. The rift highlights a growing chasm within the party, which is yet to reconcile the fact that it won swathes of seats in the general election with the backing of pro-remain constituents who do not support the party’s official line.
Earlier this week the leader was forced to sack three members of his shadow cabinet after the MPS voted in favour of the amendment put forward by Chuka Umunna.
Ruth Cadbury, Catherine West and Andy Slaughter all left the front-bench team after backing the call for Britain to remain inside the single market and customs union after Brexit, despite the party’s official position being that the UK must leave these institutions.
A party source revealed there is a growing split between Labour MPS who represent Remain-leaning constituencies and those whose electorate are staunchly behind Brexit. They fear that backing the official line will make them unelectable at the next ballot.
Another source claimed the leader’s office is “not receptive” to concern among Labour MPS who are unable to support the hard-line position on Brexit because of the pressure they are under in their constituencies. It is failing to address the issue, MPS said.
Staying inside the single market is known as a soft Brexit position but it is widely thought to be untenable because it would also force the UK to retain freedom of movement rights for EU nationals. Pro-leave MPS claim voters backed Brexit in order to control the UK’S borders.
A Labour MP said Mr Corbyn’s amendment to the Queen’s Speech on Brexit, which did not pass, was “too weak” and that many in the party are frustrated at the lack of opposition to Theresa May’s plans.
It came as Tom Watson, the party’s deputy leader, said Mr Umunna’s amendment, which also failed to pass a House of Commons vote, was “unnecessary” and “unhelpful”.
He told Channel 4 that he was “very disappointed” at Mr Umunna’s decision, adding: “To break away like that is politically unhelpful at a time when the entire Labour Party is buzzing because we did far better in the General Election. I just hope we can come back together very quickly.”
Last night the shadow Brexit secretary said Labour would pay for access to the European single market and appeared to question the merits of leaving the customs union amid a fresh bout of party infighting over Brexit.
Sir Keir Starmer said a Labour government would cut the amount of money the UK sends to the EU, but stressed it was “inevitable” the country would have to pay for access to the single market after leaving it.