Momentum vows not to block ‘inevitable’ second Brexit vote debate at Labour conference
2 min read
Momentum have vowed not to block an 'inevitable' debate on a second Brexit vote at this year's Labour conference.
The left-wing campaign group said it will not stand in the way of a debate after local Labour groups pushed for members to be given a say on the issue.
Momentum was instrumental in helping the Labour leadership avoid a difficult discussion on Brexit at last year’s conference by encouraging delegates to involve themselves in votes around other topics, such as the NHS and housing.
But Momentum’s national co-ordinator Laura Parker has said that it was now “inevitable” that delegates would be given time to debate the party’s stance on Brexit in Liverpool next week.
“Last year, the context was very different”, she said.
“Now, it is absolutely inevitable there will be a discussion on conference floor, I can’t conceive there won’t be – we’re 200 days away.”
She added: “Without a doubt, there has to be a debate.”
Over 150 Brexit focussed motions have been filed by local Labour branches with dozens giving their support to a second public vote on the final deal.
And several pro-Remain Labour pressure groups are now planning to lobby delegates with briefing packs and drop-in sessions in a bid to strong-arm the Labour leadership into a rethink.
Official Labour party policy is against a second referendum, but there have been mixed signals from the Labour frontbench on the issue in recent months, with Shadow Brexit spokesperson Keir Starmer saying that the party was "not ruling out" the option.
Amanda Chetwynd-Cowieson, the co-founder of student group For Future’s Sake, said that pro-Remain factions would be coming up with a co-ordinated plan ahead of the debate, adding: “The one cast-iron agreement across all the groups is that a people’s vote is the way to solve the crisis.
But Ms Parker refused to reveal how it would instruct Momentum members on the final vote, saying: “We are waiting to see what motions come to conference floor.”
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