Labour Party looks for coherent position on Brexit

BRIGHTON (England) • Britain's main opposition Labour Party began its annual conference yesterday desperately searching for a coherent Brexit plan to stem a potential drubbing in a looming election.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the party would guide him on how to campaign in a second Brexit referendum, pledging to offer voters the choice of staying in the European Union or a "credible" deal.

He is under pressure by party members and even some of his top team to unequivocally back remaining in the EU in any new vote.

But Mr Corbyn, an instinctive critic of the EU, has struck a neutral stance, saying it is more important to hold the party together by embracing "remainers" and those who want to leave the bloc. His moment of truth comes as Britain hurtles towards an Oct 31 exit from the EU with no plan for future trade.

Yet the same divisions over the EU that saw British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's right-wing Conservatives lose their working majority are tearing Labour apart on the left.

On the eve of the conference, when party officials had hoped to present Labour as a government in waiting, a new row broke out when an ally of Mr Corbyn tried to oust deputy leader Tom Watson over Brexit. Mr Corbyn stepped in to defuse the stand-off.

He again appealed to his party to understand that while many wanted to remain in the EU, there was a "significant majority" that had backed Brexit, so both needed an option if it came to a second referendum.

Asked whether Labour would campaign to stay in the EU or leave with a deal, Mr Corbyn told the BBC he would stage a conference or meeting to determine the party's stance. "I am leading the party, I am proud to lead the party, I am proud of the democracy of the party and of course I will go along with whatever decision the party comes to," he said. "We will put both views to the British people and say look, this is the best deal we could get, (and) this is the remain and hopefully the reform option."

Labour supporters consist of cosmopolitan city-dwelling europhiles and traditional working-class communities that had rejected Brussels in the 2016 referendum.

Polls show that these views are even more entrenched today, further complicating Mr Corbyn's bid to find a unifying stance.

Labour officials were to gather in a hotel on England's southern coast last night to whittle down Brexit options to a single position that will be either rejected or approved today.

Mr Corbyn has yet to paper over the rifts in his party. The row over Mr Watson has prompted suggestions that Mr Corbyn's supporters fear a possible succession could reduce control over the party.

Yesterday, Mr Corbyn was forced to say he had no plans to step down, calling it "wishful thinking by some people". "I am taking the party into the general election... to end austerity, to bring forward policies that bring about a better standard of living and better opportunities for people all across this country," he said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 23, 2019, with the headline Labour Party looks for coherent position on Brexit. Subscribe