(xpost) Brexit: Corbyn told to back new EU referendum or lose millions of supporters

[nitpicker]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/13/corbyn-told-back-eu-referendum-or-lose-millions-voters-brexit

Brexit: Corbyn told to back new EU referendum or lose millions of supporters

Toby Helm, political editor

Sat 13 Apr 2019 22.45 BST

Jeremy Corbyn has been warned by Labour’s leader in the European parliament and other grandees that the party will be deserted by millions of anti-Brexit voters if it fails to clearly back a second referendum in its manifesto for next month’s EU elections.

The message from Richard Corbett, who leads Labour’s 20 MEPs, comes amid growing fears at the top of the party that it could lose a generation of young, pro-EU voters if it does not guarantee another public vote.

That age group, as well as many other Remainers, MPs say, could turn instead to unambiguously anti-Brexit parties, including the fledgling independent group Change UK, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and the SNP.

Corbett said: “If Labour does not re-confirm its support for a confirmatory public vote on any Brexit deal in its manifesto then it will haemorrhage votes to parties who do have a clear message. If on the other hand we do offer clarity and a confirmatory ballot we could do very well.”

While Labour says it is keeping the option of a second referendum on the table in talks with the government, some key figures close to Jeremy Corbyn have been reluctant to confirm that another public vote would be held on any deal that is agreed and approved by parliament. This has prompted speculation that there may be no commitment to one in Labour’s European election manifesto.

[comradebillyboy]

1. Corbyn has been a complete disaster as leader of the Labour Party.

He has to take much of the blame for the level of anti-semitism in the Labour Party and has been nothing if not wishy-washy on Brexit. His impotence in the face of the incompetence and incompetence of the Conservative Party is just astounding.