Walkouts push Labour towards ‘People’s Vote’
JOHN MCDONNELL has said Labour is moving towards backing a second referendum as he attempted to ward off further resignations from disillusioned MPS.
The shadow chancellor last night ratcheted up pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to change course on Brexit, admitting that Labour was in the “implementation stages” of rallying behind a so-called People’s Vote.
The Daily Telegraph has been told that Mr Mcdonnell has been meeting in private backbench MPS who have put forward proposals to support Theresa May’s Brexit deal on the condition that it is then put to the public.
The amendment, put forward by Labour MPS Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson, is believed to command the support of Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, and his team of junior shadow ministers, as well as Tom Watson, the party’s deputy leader.
Mr Corbyn also indicated that he would consider holding a second referendum, but only if Labour managed to get into government. He said that in such a scenario the party would look to renegotiate the Brexit deal with Brussels and, if successful, “we’d consider putting that to the public”.
Meanwhile, a senior Labour MP revealed they had warned Mr Mcdonnell in recent days that a failure to “move now” could result in further defections to the Independent Group, adding that he had been receptive to the proposal.
It came as Ian Austin yesterday became the ninth MP to quit Labour in five days, accusing Mr Corbyn of presiding over a “culture of extremism, anti-semitism and intolerance” and being unfit to enter Downing Street.
In a blistering attack on the Labour leader, the Dudley MP said he was “appalled” at the “offence and distress” inflicted upon the Jewish community by his former party.
Mr Austin, whose Jewish adoptive father was forced to flee Nazi Germany, warned that he would not be the last to defect, adding that MPS from all strands of the party believed that Mr Corbyn “cannot be trusted with our national security”.
Labour is now braced for further de- fections by MPS this weekend, while insiders have told this newspaper that at least six peers are poised to quit early next week.
In an emotional article published in his local newspaper, Mr Austin said he joined Labour 35 years ago to “fight racism” and could “never have believed that I’d be leaving because of racism too”.
The 53-year-old, who was elected in 2005, has repeatedly criticised Mr Corbyn over his handling of alleged antisemitism, and was last year temporarily placed under investigation after he confronted Ian Lavery, the party chairman, over the issue.
Writing in the Express & Star, he added: “The hard truth is that the party is tougher on the people complaining about anti-semitism than it is on the anti-semites.
“The Labour Party has been my life, so this has been the hardest decision I have ever had to take, but I have to be honest and the truth is that I have become ashamed of the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn.”
However, unlike other Labour defectors, Mr Austin will not join the Independent Group of MPS, because of his concerns over their anti-brexit stance.
His resignation was met with despair by a number of senior shadow cabinet ministers, who have been desperately trying to prevent other MPS from leaving. They include Mr Watson, one of Mr Austin’s closest allies, who said he was “deeply saddened” at his departure, describing it as a “serious blow to my party”.
In a warning to his party leader, Mr Watson added: “He [Mr Austin] has served the Labour Party for 30 years and is one of the hardest working MPS in the UK.
“I didn’t want him to go, not just because he is a friend, but because Labour needs people of his experience, calibre and passion if we are to win.”
In a sign of mounting tensions in the shadow cabinet, Mr Corbyn last night shot down suggestions by Mr Watson that there was widespread bullying in Labour. He told Sky News: “To tell you the truth, I don’t believe it exists on a wide scale. Where there is bad behaviour we deal with it. Where there is a problem we deal with it.
“He’s made a comment. It’s his comment, not mine. Of course, I disagree with him, because I do not wish to be in a party where there’s any bullying or harassment.”
Amid fears that dozens of Europhile MPS could join the recent spate of departures, Mr Mcdonnell yesterday told the Evening Standard: “On the People’s Vote, we’ve kept it on the table and we’re moving towards that.
“If we were going on a People’s Vote based on a deal that has gone through Parliament in some form, if that got voted down then you’d have status quo, and that would be Remain.”