Tom Watson steps up campaign for second Brexit referendum
Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has launched a fresh push for the party to fully commit to a second referendum in an effort to stay in the European Union.
Mr Watson said âour future doesnât need to be Brexitâ as he argued that the European Unionâs values were shared by Labour.
The core values of the EU are: Internationalism, Solidarity, Freedom. They are British, Labour values. Our future doesnât need to be Brexit. We can change our future. But only if Labour makes the case for it â and we must. #proudlybritishproudlyeuropeanpic.twitter.com/YKr5RoeLgF
â Tom Watson (@tom_watson) June 17, 2019
Jeremy Corbyn has been resisting pressure to fully embrace a second referendum, amid heavy criticism of the partyâs dismal showing in last monthâs European elections.
Confusion over its position as supportive of another referendum in certain limited circumstances, was widely blamed for a poor performance which saw it beaten into third place behind the Brexit Party and the Liberal Democrats.
Mr Watson said the prospect of Tory leadership frontrunner Boris Johnson becoming prime minister meant there was an urgent need to act.
He used a video message to set out his case, claiming the left had been too timid to defend European values.
âI love Europe because Iâm a democratic socialist,â he said.
âSocialism is achieving common causes by the strength of collective endeavour.
âThatâs what Europe is. Weâve shied away from saying these things for too long.
âBut now, as we stare down the barrel of a Boris Johnson premiership, we really must.â
He said the relationship with Europe was about âmore than economicsâ or political co-operation.
âItâs about what kind of country we are. What we want for our children: what weâre able to bring them up to be.
âSo those of us who love Europe should take pride in making this argument.
Tom is right! https://t.co/O7IZK4MM89
â Jess Phillips (@jessphillips) June 17, 2019
âWe must bring the public back into this decision and we must argue strongly to remain.
âOur future doesnât need to be Brexit. We can change the future.
âWe can put Britain back at the heart of Europe again.
âWe can be proud of leading the fight for a fairer and stronger future, together.â
Mr Watson will set out further details of his position in a keynote speech to the Centre for European Reform,.
He will argue that a referendum is âthe only way to break the political deadlockâ at Westminster.
Mr Watson is likely, however, to face a strong push-back from allies of Mr Corbyn, determined to resist any change of policy.
Last week party chairman Ian Lavery hit out at Remainers in the party, dismissing them as âleft wing intellectualsâ who were âsneering at ordinary peopleâ in traditional Labour heartlands who voted for Leave.
However Mr Watson will say that all strands of of opinion within the party were entitled to a hearing.
âWe cannot go on dismissing one anotherâs right to speak and questioning one anotherâs motives and intentions,â he will say.
âSome people have begun to equate support for Europe with class identity, I donât think thatâs right or helpful.
âThe majority of Labour people are supportive of Europe â and that support is not dictated by social class.â