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Labour's amendment explained: 1) It is framed as avoiding No Deal. 2) It calls for permanent customs union; relationship to single market "underpinned by shared institutions and obligations"; and alignment of rights and standards. 3) a second referendum on any deal agreed...
/2 Labour's proposal is not a "unicorn". It is a proposal - to mirror single market, form a customs union and "shared institutions", killing the Tory dream of separate trade deals forever. If you don't like it, what's your other option?
/3 Significantly MPs from the pro-Norway+ group of Labour MPs have signed Corbyn's amendment. It is good enough for some people who want Norway - though it is not as comprehensive as EEA membership...
/4 The second referendum is framed as a vote on a deal done in parliament. This trumps the pure PV demand hands down. But that argument is not over. If Labour's amendment is defeated, we get no Customs Union and no Second Vote... then what?
/5 If no proposal gets a majority in the commons, May is stuffed and has to call either a referendum or an election herself. She's floundering, playing for time with no clue what to do.
/6 A final point. Bear with me. There is a real appetite for "No Deal" amongst ignorant people and racists. No Deal = 8% GDP collapse, 25% house price collapse and 7% unemployment. If May triggers that, Labour can say: we proposed a deal, you rejected it...
7/ Jeremy Corbyn tonight went to the Max to enact the wishes of people who won the referendum. That's as far as we are going. If it fails, because Tories ultimately always defend the rich, that's not Labour's fault.
8/ Likewise, Corbyn has put his name to the second referendum - while observing the principle that parliament must first decide. If parliament is gridlocked, the PV is out there thanks to Labour - not any backbencher or rebel Tory: thanks to Labour...
9/9 The vote is next week. Everybody should turn up on Parliament Square and back Labour's amendment. And then, when the Tory government collapses in acrimony, dry January shall be declared over. ENDS
