1/ Brexit Myth - The 2019 election showed Brexit's popularity.
Reality - In the 2019 election 2nd referendum parties gained a clear majority of the popular vote, despite Corbyn, a poor Labour campaign and a wretchedly bad LibDem campaign.
Reality - In the 2019 election 2nd referendum parties gained a clear majority of the popular vote, despite Corbyn, a poor Labour campaign and a wretchedly bad LibDem campaign.
2/ Brexit Myth - Labour was hammered for opposing Brexit.
Reality - Since the referendum Labour has never opposed Brexit. It's electoral failures since then were not brought about by its opposing Brexit.
Reality - Since the referendum Labour has never opposed Brexit. It's electoral failures since then were not brought about by its opposing Brexit.
3/ Brexit Myth - Brexit is inherently popular.
Reality - Since 2017 polls have shown a gradually growing public majority against Brexit. This is in spite of Brexit being supported by almost all of the political & much of the media establishment.
Brexit is not inherently popular
Reality - Since 2017 polls have shown a gradually growing public majority against Brexit. This is in spite of Brexit being supported by almost all of the political & much of the media establishment.
Brexit is not inherently popular
4/ There is a problem for opposition parties in opposing Brexit. It's not because of Brexit's popularity. It's because FPTP and electoral demographics mean fewer Brexit supporter votes are needed to elect an MP than EU supporter votes.
5/ The problem of electoral demographics can be mitigated by a Progressive Alliance making opposition votes more effective at electing MPs. Also Starmer, far more than Corbyn, is likely to attract some of the 20% of Tories who are pro-EU to vote for an opposition candidate.
6/ Please let's stop peddling the myth that Brexit is some kind of invincible popular force. Brexit's apparent popularity is an artifact of a skewed electoral system and, until Corbyn departed, bitter conflict between Labour and the LibDems.
7/ We cannot quickly return to the EU. We first need radical democratic reform including PR, a written constitution, media reform, the squeezing of big money out of politics and the curbing of political lies.
8/ But just because we can't quickly rejoin the EU, does not mean we shouldn't criticise Brexit or that we should parrot Tory lies about 'Brexit opportunities'. Lies destroy democracy. Starmer should have no part in bolstering the biggest lie of all - the great Brexit lie .
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