Corbyn’s latest Brexit shift is not good enough

It’s good Labour will campaign for a People’s Vote and back Remain on any Tory Brexit. But it won’t say what it’ll do if there’s an election.

Jeremy Corbyn is continuing his long march towards a sensible Brexit position. If he had adopted today’s position a few months ago, most pro-Europeans would have been delighted. But now, with the prospect of Boris Johnson entering Downing Street and the possibility that this will trigger an election, the Labour leader’s continued vacillation is just not good enough.

But first the good news. Labour has said unambiguously not only that it will back a referendum whether the new prime minister seeks to leave with a deal or without one; it will campaign to stay in the EU in such a public vote. 

The chance of securing a referendum has probably gone up. If Johnson or his rival, Jeremy Hunt, tries to quit the EU with a deal, Corbyn will now probably whip his rebel MPs more strenuously to support a People’s Vote. With the backing of disaffected Tory MPs, we may have a majority in Parliament. If the new prime minister tries to quit the EU without a deal, the prospect of securing a majority in favour of a referendum will be even greater.

But what if there is a general election after Johnson or Hunt runs into a massive political crisis, something which looks increasingly possible? Corbyn won’t say whether he will go into that election promising to cancel Brexit, ram whatever Brexit deal he can negotiate through Parliament or put it to the people in a referendum.

This continuing fence sitting is foolish. Although Labour may eventually have to spell out what it would do, every month of ambiguity leads to an erosion of its support among voters. Pro-Europeans are moving increasingly towards the Lib Dems and Greens. And even if Corbyn finally gets to the right place, he will have very little credibility.

How much this matters for the pro European cause depends on how effectively the Lib Dems and Greens coordinate their activities. If they fight each other and Labour in a general election, it is possible that the hard-Brexit forces will triumph. But if they can form some pact, they could emerge as an attractive third pole in British politics. In that scenario, it would be important to leave open the door to working together with the Labour if it backs remain – or with individual pro-European Labour MPs even if the party continues to sit on the fence. We will also need vigorous tactical voting to maximise the chance of defeating the hard Brexit forces.

But whatever happens, we need to make more boldly the case for being in the EU. That’s why we are gathering on July 20 in central London to say “no to Boris, yes to Europe”.