Jeremy Corbyn comes under fire from his own MPs over Labour Brexit stance

Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire from his own party after he put forward a policy document that would see Labour fight a general election without a clear stance on Brexit. 

Under Corbyn’s plan, submitted to Labour’s National Executive Committee ahead of the annual party conference in Brighton, Labour would reach a deal with Brussels in three months which would then be put to a referendum three months later. 

However, the party would only decided whether to back Brexit or Remain in a special conference after an election. 

Corbyn has now come under pressure from several Labour figures, including shadow Treasury secretary Clive Minister who branded the plan ‘plain wrong’.

Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle described the proposal as a ‘stitch-up’, while former leadership candidate Owen Smith said it would be ‘dishonest’.

Meanwhile, Corbyn ally and shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry called on Labour to lead the Remain campaign. 

Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn and Brighton Council leader, Nancy Platt walk with young party members along Brighton Promenade ahead of the party conference today 

Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry speaks during a People's Vote rally in Brighton today

Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry speaks during a People’s Vote rally in Brighton today

The leadership’s proposal is markedly different to Ms Thornberry’s statement, who said today: ‘We’re not going to let it happen that we crash out of Europe without a deal.

‘We must make sure that there is a second referendum and Remain is on the ballot paper and Labour campaigns for Remain – and not just that, Labour should lead the campaign.’ 

Scores of motions have been submitted to the party conference calling for Labour to back remain, and campaigners fear the NEC statement – which has yet to be signed off – will shut down debate on the issue.

At the start of the conference in Brighton, shadow Treasury minister Clive Lewis said: ‘This move is just plain wrong. How can this be defended?

‘We, the left, took over the leadership of this party promising internal democracy, promising a new kind of politics.

‘And yet here we are, with a leadership apparently determined to shut down democratic debate on the crucial issue of the day, probably relying on union bloc votes to outvote the members.

A draft document highlighting Labour policy on Brexit suggests that the party will not campaign for or against leaving the EU while fighting a general election

A draft document highlighting Labour policy on Brexit suggests that the party will not campaign for or against leaving the EU while fighting a general election 

‘It’s not what we signed up for. We now need to rally on the conference floor – if it passes, delegates should mobilise to vote against the NEC statement so the Brexit motions can be heard and democratically debated.’

Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle said: ‘We are being hammered on the doorstep because our Brexit position is a fudge.

‘Yes, it’s great that we are putting forward a public vote and a remain option.

‘But in every seat in the country, Leave and Remain, we are losing votes because our voters are turning to Remain parties.

Jeremy Corbyn is mobbed by the press as her arrives for the annual Labour Party conference today, held in Brighton

Jeremy Corbyn is mobbed by the press as her arrives for the annual Labour Party conference today, held in Brighton

Clive Lewis, the Labour shadow Treasury minister, has slammed the proposal and accused the leadership of shutting down democratic debate

Clive Lewis, the Labour shadow Treasury minister, has slammed the proposal and accused the leadership of shutting down democratic debate

‘This conference is our one chance before an election to get out of the fudge – we cannot allow that to be taken away from us in some procedural stitch-up.’

Former leadership contender Owen Smith said: ‘Is the NEC seriously saying that Labour should go into a general election saying we’ll have another referendum on Brexit, but we’re not telling the electorate which way we’ll vote in that referendum?

‘That would be the antithesis of ‘honest politics’.’

Michael Chessum, national organiser for the Another Europe is Possible campaign group, said: ‘Introducing an NEC statement in this manner would be a bare-faced attempt to shut down a democratic debate on Brexit at conference.

‘The idea that Labour would not take a position now, and put it off to a special conference just after an election, is absurd.

‘We have a conference, right here and right now, which has had a huge wave of grassroots motions submitted to it on Brexit.’

The draft NEC statement said: ‘After three years of shambolic Tory negotiations and parliamentary deadlock, a Labour government will get Brexit sorted one way or another within six months of coming to power, allowing us to concentrate on all the issues that matter to people most.’

Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Tom Brake said: ‘It is totally unfair of Labour not to be clear about their plan in government.

‘Through choosing whether to support leave or remain after the election, millions of remain Labour supporters could help elect a leave government.’

Tory chairman James Cleverly said: ‘Corbyn’s Brexit policy can be summed up in three simple words: more pointless delay.

‘Jeremy Corbyn can’t lead his own party, let alone the country, and he couldn’t negotiate his way out of a wet paper bag.’

On the eve of the conference, Mr Corbyn defended his position on Brexit.

‘I am not sitting on the fence,’ he told ITV Yorkshire.

‘I think leadership comes from listening. I think leadership comes from asking people to look at the realities of the situation.

‘It is not a muddled position. It is a position that takes the issue seriously.’  

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