Labour deputy leader calls for governing body to sanction second referendum vote
TOM WATSON yesterday called for a special conference to settle Labour’s Brexit row by the end of July as he attempted to push Jeremy Corbyn closer towards a second referendum.
In a bid to force the Labour leader’s hand, the deputy leader urged the party’s national executive committee (NEC) to approve an emergency ballot or meeting of members before Parliament rises for the summer.
He said he feared Mr Corbyn’s attempts to delay changing policy until Labour’s annual conference in September would be “too late” to prevent a nodeal Brexit.
Instead, he wants Labour’s governing body to sanction a vote by the end of next month, providing enough time for MPS to make the case for a public vote during the summer recess.
The Daily Telegraph understands that Mr Watson will now ratchet up pressure on the NEC to agree to his demands, in a move which threatens to put him on a collision course with Mr Corbyn and his allies.
In a sign of mounting tensions on Labour’s frontbench, party chairman Ian Lavery yesterday hit out at Mr Watson’s plans, accusing him of sidelining the views of millions of Leave voters.
In a thinly-veiled swipe, he said: “Brexit has turned this country into a toxic nation. However, ignoring the 17.4 million Leave voters isn’t politically smart nor indeed particularly democratic, is it?”
Dismissing the allegation yesterday, Mr Watson said Labour could not go on “questioning one another’s motives and intentions”.
Speaking in central London, he said: “The majority of Labour people are supportive of Europe – and that support is not dictated by social class.”
Setting out his stall against Mr Corbyn, who has insisted Labour is the party of both Leavers and Remainers, Mr Watson argued that the party should be unequivocally in favour of Remain. “European is who we are and who we have always been,” he said. “Our members are Remain. Our values are Remain. Our hearts are Remain.”
He also challenged Mr Corbyn’s claim that Labour’s main priority is forcing a general election, adding: “The only tool available to actually break this deadlock is a public vote.”
His intervention came as Mr Corbyn was accused by Europhile Labour MPS of going “into hiding”, after a special meeting of Labour’s shadow cabinet was cancelled.
Labour frontbenchers had been due to discuss the party’s highly divisive Brexit policy, but were told early yesterday morning that it had been shelved due to a number of individuals being unable to attend.
Accusing the Labour leader of running scared, one MP told Politicshome: “Whenever Corbyn has to face difficult questions or issues, he goes into hiding. Now the shadow cabinet wants to move on Europe, it is also cancelled. He is fast becoming a disappearing act.”