As a committed labour activist I feel like I have to comment on some recent articles that Corbyn and the Labour leadership team have posted in the last few days about Brexit. I’m really upset and I feel like I need to say something.
I have been a Labour supporter all my life. From as early as I can remember I wanted to be head of school council and I encouraged fellow classmates in school to vote Labour. Despite the fact we were 10. (Every vote counts right?!) 😂
I’ve been a Labour Party member since I was 18 and proudly carry my membership card wherever I go. In May I campaigned in Plymouth for the local council elections. I, like so many other young people put my life on hold to campaign for the Labour.
Through the wind, the storms and the rain we knocked on hundreds of doors and spoke to all types of people about voting Labour. Plymouth Labour is a big crazy family and I’m proud to call some of them my best friends. We won big time and managed to reclaim the council for labour.
On the winning morning we all got up at 6am to meet Jeremy Corbyn who congratulated us on our victory. With this is mind I write this post. I cannot stand by and watch Labour self destruct at a time when a labour government is needed most.
The labour leadership needs to look at the conference policy. Brexit in any form would damage places like Plymouth who had already suffered for a decade under austerity. The conference policy is clear and was overwhelmingly backed by the membership.
Push for a general election in parliament and if that doesn’t work then fall back and support a second vote. Today I have read that Corbyn won’t do this. This upsets me and so many others. The membership overwhelmingly back a final say.
Over 85% of the membership back a People’s Vote & this is supported by members across the party from Momentum to the Fabians.
This is supported by recent polling which suggests that Labour support among young people goes from 61% if they back a Peoples’s Vote to 33% if they back Brexit. To not listen to members and young people is a very bad move for Labour. Very bad.
Why a leadership team would alienate and annoy the membership is beyond me. I always describe Labour as a my extended family. However I don’t think I can be part of that family if the leaders don’t listen to the members.
Corbyn backed remain in 2016 and should back a People’s Vote now. Brexit in all forms will be terrible to this country and so much has changed from that day in 2016 when we voted to leave. So many lies where told and so many people have been let down by Theresa May & the Tories.
In the new year I will have to make a choice about my membership and decide if I can be in a party that actively ignores the members. I beg the leadership to listen to the members & the next generation of young labour supporters who want the party to grow and succeed.
Please don’t break my heart and make me cut up my membership card @jeremycorbyn @UKLabour @johnmcdonnellMP
