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

[brooklynite]

Source: The Guardian

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.”

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

[Pope George Ringo II]

1. I'm not as young as I used to be.

Labour is coming very close to losing me over Corbyn and his clique's nonsense over another referendum. It's as though they're daring me to join the Lib-Dems. I've almost decided to accept their challenge.

[mwooldri]

4. Jeremy Corbyn reminds me of Michael Foot.

Their political compass pointed the same way too.

I could never be a Tory, and Labour have generally been too far to the left for me. Though Blair and Brown were more centrist and to my liking. Nothing wrong with being a Lib Dem, just as long as the Nick Clegg wing of the party doesn't sell out again.

[Pope George Ringo II]

7. It's going to be a while before the Lib-Dems recover from their last Tory coalition.

I have a lot of sympathy for the party as a whole, but right now I just want to see somebody stop Brexit. Labour have (possibly?) the power, while the Lib-Dems have the will. I don't necessarily bear the SNP any ill will, but I'd rather not go there.

After Brexit is behind us one way or the other, the Lib-Dems have much to recommend them. But for now, I just want to do what little I can to support somebody with a realistic chance of not destroying the country. I'm a little outside the window to vote while overseas, so my support is somewhat limited.

Full disclosure: Besides being a British citizen, I'm also an Irish citizen. Damage control on Brexit is something of a concern for me at the moment.

[rurallib]

3. I am but a casual observer of Great Britain, but I am curious

why Labour has stuck with Corbyn when his policies sometimes seem quite conservative and his leadership seems erratic.
ETA - maybe we are not getting the full story over in the US.

[mwooldri]

5. Corbyn has the popular vote of the wider membership.

That's why Corbyn is leader. However most of the parliamentary party would prefer someone else other than Corbyn.

I think Corbyn is cautious at times, but "Conservative" his policies are not. Example: renationalizing the British railway system all the way is something that would definitely not be on the Conservative Party agenda, but is on Labour's agenda.

[rurallib]

6. Thank you very much!

I ask questions so I can learn. And I did learn.

[Blue_Tires]

8. The dirty little secret is Corbyn has a bigger hard-on for Brexit than Farage...