LABOUR right-wingers were resoundly beaten yesterday in their attempt to reject Brexit and push the Labour Party conference to accept that Britain should remain in the European Union, a position which they pushed very aggressively.
In a show of hands, the right wingers’ attempt to ‘reference back’ Labour’s position on the European Union was overwhelmingly defeated. However after the vote, Keir Starmer, shadow Brexit secretary, reiterated that Labour is for a ‘transitionary period’ to stay in the Customs Union and the Single Market.
Starmer said: ‘Over the summer Labour reached an agreed position: The transitional arrangements on the same basic terms we currently have with the EU are in the national interest.’ This ‘transitional agreement’ was not in the Labour Party manifesto which millions voted for just months before.
He continued: ‘Let me be clear, for Labour that means that during the transitional period we would remain within the Customs Union with the EU and within the Single Market. The government, on the other hand has spent the summer squabbling in public, so dysfunctional had it all got by last week that the Prime Minister took flight to Florence. Only when she got there, to adopt and follow our position on transitional arrangements.’
Starmer added: ‘This has got to stop, it is time for a different approach, so let me share with you Labour’s approach, an approach which is both democratically legitimate and economically sensible.
‘To respect the referendum result and put jobs and the economy first … Simple words, fairness, equality, social justice, in our economy and our society. As we exit the EU, this is not the time to abandon those values, on the contrary, those values must drive everything we do as we enter uncertain times.’
Speaking earlier in favour of the ‘reference back’ Heather Peto, Nottingham South CLP, said: ‘With the economic benefit of staying in the EU, or just pausing our membership of the EU, we would have £200bn over ten years to invest in our public services, that’s £20bn a year to help our brilliant manifesto commitments.
‘So rather than leave let’s pause our membership, let’s remain in the Customs Union and the European Economic Area. If we deliver in government our promises we have said in our manifesto I am sure that the voters and the public, especially young voters, will give us a chance and want to stay in the EU when we put it back to them.’
Jean Roberts, Brent Central CLP, answered the right-wingers. She told conference: ‘No, we have to accept that the majority voted for Brexit. A pause will mean Labour will cast aside that democratic vote.’
She said: ‘How are we to ensure that Labour are going to get elected next time? We have to go out to Tory areas, areas that voted Brexit. We have to convince those voters who voted Brexit, many Labour voters, that we will not ignore the decimation and destruction of their industries and their services.
‘Don’t demonise those of us who voted for Brexit. We have got too used to taking a back seat and not getting involved in our lives here, relying on what goes on in Europe.’ After lunch, in a move to placate the Labour right-wingers who overwhelmingly lost the ‘Reference Back’, the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party put forward the following statement which was voted on at the end:
‘We are all committed to a future Labour government which will deliver a jobs first Brexit. And Labour is united in making sure this Tory government cannot use Brexit to create a race to the bottom. Cutting workers’ rights, and damaging our economy. Conference, Labour will never engage in racism and zenophobia. We recognise that migrant workers make a huge contribution to our economy and, as Diane Abbott said yesterday: “We will not make false promises, nor will we whip up division in our country”.
‘Six months after the triggering of Article 50, this government has made no progress on the Brexit negotiations. Their trouble is that they are just squabbling amongst themselves, indulging their own personal, political ambitions, rather than putting the needs of the country first.
‘… So this statement gives us the opportunity to say that Labour is ready to take the mantle and to deliver a Brexit deal that protects our jobs and our communities. Conference, we are committed to remaining long term partners with our neighbours in Europe. But I am sure that we all agree that form should follow function and therefore our resolve must be surely to set out to deliver our Labour objectives and it is this which will then define the precise institutional relationship which we have with the EU.
‘And therefore I ask conference to support this statement, back our leadership and our Brexit team and our NEC.’ This was voted for overwhelmingly.
