Still reeling form the defections of nine of his MPs, embattled Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn said Monday that he would support a second referendum on whether the UK should abandon the European Union, offering a concession to Europhile MPs in his own party has a seeks to quell an outright rebellion.
Corbyn said Labour would table an amendment this week calling for another referendum (though the likelihood of it being brought to a vote remains unclear, being up to the discretion of House Speaker John Bercow).
While the prospect of Parliament authorizing another vote remains unlikely, Corbyn’s support could embolden pro-European MPs in both parties to push harder for a delay of “Brexit Day”, something that Prime Minister Theresa May is desperately trying to avoid.
And though Corbyn said that he would support the referendum vote to avoid a “damaging Tory Brexit” and accused May of “recklessly running down the clock” to force the adoption of a “botched deal”, Corbyn’s decision to embrace another referendum vote – something he has long opposed – was widely interpreted as self-serving, as the New York Times reported, because Corbyn had been warned that he might face another round of resignations if he didn’t support the referendum.
After the resignations of nine Labour Party members last week, and amid the prospect of more, the party’s leader, Jeremy Corbyn, dropped his longstanding resistance to a second vote on leaving the bloc.
Getting an amendment for a new vote through Parliament any time soon is unlikely, but Mr. Corbyn’s support for one will cheer pro-European Britons, who have been fighting to reverse the outcome of the 2016 referendum decision. Without the support of Labour, there is no chance of a second referendum ever being authorized by lawmakers.
Supporters of a second vote argue that, given the current Brexit deadlock, it would be fair and totally respectful of those who voted “leave” in the 2016 referendum to put the choice to the people again now that they have seen what a fumbling mess the negotiations over a managed withdrawal have become, as RT pointed out. If another referendum should be called, Labour would campaign for “remain.”
Meanwhile, Theresa May, who on Sunday promised to call a vote on her “Plan B” Brexit deal by March 12, is reportedly weighing some concessions of her own.
New:
PM weighing up plan to win over Remain ministers
If PM fails to get deal by March 12 she will offer vote on no-deal
If defeated there will be vote on extending A50
I’m told it’s *not* enough to win over Remain ministers, who want her to formally endorse A50 extension
— Steven Swinford (@Steven_Swinford) February 25, 2019
Ultimately, it’s unclear whether Corbyn’s support of another referendum amounts to anything beyond a political ploy.
1. Just landed to what is big news for those in Labour who have been pushing for another referendum
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) February 25, 2019
2. Matters a lot for those who have been trying to get party leadership to be more concrete about notional commitment to another ref
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) February 25, 2019
3. As things stand tho Labour leadership knows there doesn’t seem enough support in commons for another referendum – remember there are labour MPs who’ll never back it – so it might be a free hit they never have to deliver on, while showing party membership they have tried but…
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) February 25, 2019
4. Does it make a difference to this week’s votes ? Maybe a bit … and might hold back a few labour MPs thinking of leaving …. discuss
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) February 25, 2019
5. Not sure at this stage if it changes the fundamentals – Altho it eases some of the pain in the Labouur party – suggests staying in the tent matters for starmer but creates some more stress for Labour leavers and those in party who say they don’t want to change the result
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) February 25, 2019
If anything, this concession by the notoriously eurosceptic Corbyn proves one thing: That May isn’t the only leader struggling to get her arms around a burgeoning mutiny as talks with the EU yield little progress and the days left until Brexit Day dwindle.
via ZeroHedge News https://ift.tt/2BViUSC Tyler Durden