Corbyn sacks smith for referendum call

SHADOW Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Smith was sacked by Jeremy Corbyn for publicly calling for a second referendum on the final Brexit deal.

The Pontypridd MP was “asked to stand down” from the Labour frontbench after breaking ranks with the party’s official line and calling on the leadership to reopen the question of whether it was right to support Brexit.

Sources close to the Labour leader told reporters that the former leadership contender was not a team player and had breached shadow cabinet collective responsibility.

He has been replaced by Rochdale MP Tony Lloyd, who Jeremy Corbyn said “is a highly experienced former Government minister who is committed to ensuring that peace in Northern Ireland is maintained and helping to steer the devolution deal back on track”.

Jeremy Corbyn has previously rejected calls for a second referendum, arguing the “ship has sailed”. He has said a Labour Government would negotiate a “new, comprehensive, UK-EU customs union”.

Mr Smith, in an article for the Guardian, had argued for the UK staying in the EU single market in order to honour the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

He argued people have the right to ask if Brexit is the “right choice for the country”.

Mr Smith, who was a special adviser to former Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy, said a hard border in Northern Ireland must be avoided at all costs, stating: “The openness of the Irish border is a hugely important sign of the continuing successes – despite all the problems – of the peace process cemented into the Good Friday agreement.

“More than that, it demonstrates, every day, that different identities, histories and jurisdictions can coexist on the island without threatening each side’s integrity or legitimacy.

“Given the immense suffering, in Britain as well as in Northern Ireland and the Republic, during the Troubles, we mess with these symbols at our peril...

“More than that, when the British and Irish governments signed the Good Friday agreement we were entering into a contract with the people of Ireland, north and south. It is disgraceful that we think we can break that without their consent.”

Gower Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi praised Mr Smith’s article as “brilliant and honest,” asking: “Should we really be leaving at all?”

Eloise Todd of the anti-Brexit group Best for Britain said: “Owen Smith is right. The Tory government Brexit path is disastrous, particularly for Northern Ireland, and Labour need to provide real opposition and ask the difficult questions including: is Brexit the right course for this country?

“Everyone in this country deserves a say over their future, and Labour should push for a people’s vote on the terms of Brexit.”

However, Brecon and Radnorshire Conservative MP Chris Davies said Mr Smith’s intervention was evidence of “war” in Labour ranks.

He said: “I think Owen will look at any opportunity to have a go at Jeremy Corbyn. I think he’s chosen the wrong topic here for the wrong reasons... It proves that the Labour party are absolutely at war with each other... Owen Smith is probably saying what a lot of the backbench Labour members are thinking.”

Mr Davies said he could not remember the last time he “spoke to somebody who wanted a second referendum”.