Cllr Geoff Brodie shares this response to calls for a national ballot of members on Brexit. Ed
So the Isle of Wight Labour Party has decided to ignore the majority who voted to Leave the EU just over two years ago and to campaign for Labour Party members’ wishes to override the decision of the wider electorate.
Just as they are agitating for a second referendum behind the scenes. And no doubt a third and even more if the British people continue to vote to Leave this undemocratic and economically neo-liberal institution, contrary to the wishes of ‘those who know best’.
Referendum result “would be respected”
The Labour Party leadership nationally has always indicated democratically that the referendum result would be respected, but pressure from constituency parties like the Island’s local Labour Party could lead to a reversal in policy at September’s Annual Conference.
Ironically two-thirds of Labour MPs represent constituencies that voted to Leave the EU.
Out of step with Island residents
Here on the Island there was a very clear vote to Leave (62%) and the local Labour party is entirely out of step with local residents on this issue.
As a then-Labour councillor I campaigned for a Leave vote back in June 2016 and the vote in my ward reflected that.
I was then re-elected to the IW Council for a fourth time in May 2017 with a large increase in support, when all other Labour candidates were losing. In January I left Labour largely over my isolation within the party over my opposition to the EU.
‘Labour Pro-Leave’ candidate?
Now that IW Labour has decided to campaign for a reversal of Labour’s Leave policy, perhaps it is time for a ‘Labour Pro-Leave’ candidate on the Island at the next general election?
Without one we would have candidates of the centre-left (IW Labour, Green, LibDem) who want to Remain and candidates of the right (Tory, Ukip) who want to Leave.
Entirely socialist reasons for being anti-EU
Just because you are opposed to the EU doesn’t mean you have to vote Tory or worse. There are entirely socialist reasons for being anti-EU as well as the little-Englander arguments of the right.
It is an entire nonsense to assert as IW Labour do that a Labour Government would be unable to implement manifesto policies outside the EU.
