Thread by @JolyonMaugham

We need to talk about Tony Blair, Peter Mandelson and People’s Vote. THREAD.

People’s Vote was previously known as Open Britain, and before that Stronger In, and was the lead campaigner for Remain in the 2016 Referendum. Which, it won’t have escaped your attention, lost, despite the considerable advantages Remain enjoyed. /1

It has been described by another one of the Remain campaigns as a project to "allow the political undead to rise and walk amongst the living again.” What that individual meant was that it is a vanity project for the personal aggrandisement of Blair and Mandelson.

I agree. /2

First, the bizarre tactic of putting up Blair and Mandelson to make the case for Remain. I was publicly offered by a member of the PV team – someone I respect – sight of polling which apparently proved Blair’s appeal. But when I tried to take it up the offer was withdrawn. /3

Their continuing presence repeats the central mistakes of the referendum campaign. It allows Remain to be painted as “continuity” to leave voters who feel a powerful need for change. And it has alienated many influential would-be allies. /4

Their focus on process (a Referendum) rather than outcome (Remain) has drowned out those like @Another_Europe who have made a positive case to sceptics.

And they feed a perception that the Remain campaign is – and this has not always been without truth – anti-Corbyn. /5

Also objectionable are their blocking tactics. Their vigorous opposition to the Norway+ Option is well documented: see for example politics.co.uk/blogs/2019/01/… /6

Less well known is how – behind the scenes – many significant figures at PV fought tooth and nail to block the Wightman case which established our right to revoke. I have the emails to prove it. And even now they are fighting to block the argument for revocation. /7

Here’s a statement I received from them yesterday. And they have also refused to allow me to make the case for revoke at the March tomorrow. This is extraordinary given the huge, and entirely organic, outpouring of support for revoke, something they never managed to generate. /8

Blair and Mandelson have undoubted strengths. I do not deny their talent at grabbing the media spotlight or their mastery of machine politics. But we should ask the true end to which People’s Vote have sought to block other routes to goals most of us share. /9

Still. As @billybragg also concludes, come along and march tomorrow.

The march is not theirs. It belongs to everyone. /ENDS