Labour’s civil war over vote to break up the UK
Shadow Chancellor and Scottish leader are at loggerheads
A CIVIL war has erupted within Labour over its plan to allow another vote on independence.
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell yesterday stood by his plans which would see a Labour government allow a second referendum if MSPs voted for it, adding that Jeremy Corbyn agrees with him.
This is despite Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard previously insisting that a Labour government would block any new bid to hold a second referendum.
Mr Leonard, who met Mr McDonnell for talks on the issue yesterday morning, said another independence ballot is ‘unwanted’ and ‘unnecessary’.
On Tuesday night, Mr McDonnell said a Labour government would not seek to ‘block’ any request from Holyrood for an independence referendum.
Yesterday, speaking at an event at the Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh, he said: ‘What I said yesterday that wasn’t picked up is actually what I want is a Labour government, and let us demonstrate as a Labour government what we can do, transform people’s lives.
‘If after a few years people want to come back and say they want to test the water on an independence referendum, well then fair enough. That’s up to the Scottish people and Scottish parliament. I’m not into blocking democratic exercises.’
He added: ‘If the Scottish parliament and the Scottish people determine that they want another referendum, I’m not being set up by Nicola Sturgeon, because that is what she is trying to do.
‘She is trying to say it’s the big bad English yet again trying to prevent us having a referendum. No, we’re not. What we’re saying is it’s unnecessary, we will campaign against having a referendum but we are not using parliamentary devices to block it. It’s as simple as that.’
Mr McDonnell also insisted his stance was ‘a view Jeremy Corbyn has expressed in the past’.
Asked yesterday if Mr Leonard was alarmed by his comments, he said: ‘No, we had a conversation this morning, he understands where I’m coming from and he’s on the same page as me about achieving a Labour government and that is what we will do.’
Mr Leonard said: ‘I met with John this morning, and I made clear to him that a second independence referendum is unwanted by the people of Scotland and it is unnecessary. The 2014 referendum was a once in a generation vote.
‘There is no economic case for independence, especially with the SNP’s new position of ditching the pound and new policy of turbocharged austerity to bear down on the deficit.
‘On that, John McDonnell and I are in firm agreement. What Scotland needs is radical reforming Labour governments at Holyrood and Westminster.’
But Labour would not confirm yesterday if Mr Leonard still believes any referendum request should be rejected by a future Labour government. A Scottish Labour spokesman said: ‘Ri chard Leonard’s position on a second independence referendum remains unchanged – he believes it is not needed or wanted.’
Edinburgh South Labour MP Ian Murray said: ‘These are utterly irresponsible comments from John McDonnell that betray our party’s values. The Labour Party is an internationalist party founded on a vision of solidarity and we should never seek to appease nationalists, whether they be for Brexit or Scottish independence.’
Last night, Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: ‘If they are given the chance, Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon will do a backroom deal to ignore not one, but two referendum results. Only the Conservative and Unionist Party will stand up for the Union and respect referendum results.’
‘ These are utterly irresponsible comments from John McDonnell that betray our party’s values. The Labour Party is an internationalist party founded on a vision of solidarity and we should never seek to appease nationalists, whether they be for Brexit or Scottish independence. ’ Ian Murray MP
‘ I met with John this morning and I made clear to him that a second independence referendum is unwanted by the people of Scotland and it is unnecessary. ’ Richard Leonard MSP
‘ If after a few years people want to come back and say they want to test the water on an independence referendum, well then fair enough. That’s up to the Scottish people and Scottish parliament. I’m not into blocking democratic exercises. ’ John McDonnell MP