Campaigners for new EU referendum launch bid to change Labour policy
2 min read
Campaigners for a referendum on the final Brexit deal have launched a bid to force Labour to back their plan, it has been reported.
According to the BBC, People's Vote want party members to submit a motion for debate at next month's Labour conference calling for a shift in its current stance.
Labour insists that it respects the result of the 2016 EU referendum - but has stopped short of completely ruling out backing another vote.
The BBC says it has seen an internal memo drawn up by Tom Baldwin, a former spokesman for Ed Miliband and now head of communications for the People's Vote, laying out plans to change Labour policy.
However, he also stresses that the bid is not an attempt to oust Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader as well.
A YouGov/Sunday Mirror poll commissioned by People's Vote suggested yesterday found strong support for another referendum among Labour's target voters.
It found that 59% of people who do not currently support Labour but who say they "might" or "would seriously consider" getting behind the party want a fresh referendum on the final deal with the European Union.
Labour's top team are split on the issue, with Shadow International Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner claiming last week that it would lead to civil unrest, while Keir Starmer and John McDonnell both refused to rule one out.
Meanwhile, Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir has warned that Britain will be left in "an unsustainable legal vacuum" if it leaves the EU without a deal.
The Government last week published a string of documents on how the UK would cope in the event of a no deal Brexit.
But Sir Keir said they had "barely scratched the surface" and claimed emergency legislation would ne needed on EU citizens’ rights, immigration rules for EU travellers entering Britain, criminals held under the European arrest warrant and the Irish border.
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
