1) Mike, it honestly pains me to write this but I don't know what good you are doing now in this Anti-brexit fight, in fact I'm starting to think your position is comprised in some way.
I appreciate you gave up on staying in the EU almost 18 months ago but this is getting weird
I appreciate you gave up on staying in the EU almost 18 months ago but this is getting weird
2) in the last few weeks you've attacked the #FBPE initiative, the LDs (calling them austerity enablers) & the remainer movement in general.
You've also now pivoted to saying "the only possible path is Corbyn's Labour" & you're even now getting behind Owen Jones
You've also now pivoted to saying "the only possible path is Corbyn's Labour" & you're even now getting behind Owen Jones
3) these may be positions independently arrived at, nonetheless they also line up exactly with the aims & approach of Labour momentum (who, for example, constantly follow the anti LD position & who hate #FBPE ). If it quacks like a duck & all that
4) supporting Owen Jones is particularly hard to take. He has spent 15 months saying that Remain is hopeless, he continues to paint Remain as undemocratic ("overturn the referendum" is his confrontational language of choice) & recently made a horrendous attack on Adonis
5) he also even now quotes YouGov surveys that have long since being discredited to "prove" that a majority actively want #Brexit.His priority is getting Labour in power, which is fair enough, but anything he says on Brexit is only with this aim in mind (as seen in article above)
6) I understand that your personal position (living in France) means retaining reciprocal rights is the highest priority. Possibly you calculate that a Corbyn gov. will guarantee these rights even if the SM & CU are thrown away. Again, fair enough, but that colours your comments
7) if however your personal position is that retaining rights for yourself overrides all other considerations then you should say so to be honest, and "fight" that cause separately rather than trying to compromise the broader anti Brexit movement.
8) I know for example 8 months ago your position was that the UK was holding the EU back & should leave. You may be right but if you still hold this position then again your comments will obviously be compromised by that pro Brexit viewpoint.
9) couple of final points - firstly, as you've said several times, soft Brexit is almost inevitable now, so not sure what campaigning for a position we've already won achieves, aim high & all that. Why capitulate when the "momentum" (excuse the pun) is with us?
10) secondly, you yourself said 18 months ago that Corbyn was an old authoritarian in the same mould as UKIP, someone very much in opposition with your (then) Liberal values - now you seem to actively embrace him
11) in my opinion is perfectly acceptable to internally accept that soft Brexit is the best we can hope for, that doesn't mean we externally capitulate on Remain at this stage, not when the reasons for leave are collapsing - this feels like another agenda
12) similarly, it's one thing to say "ease up on Labour, it doesn't help our cause", I'm tempted to agree.
But it's entirely different to align wholly with momentum objectives and language and then attack the LDs, #FBPE and generally try to divide the anti Brexit movement
But it's entirely different to align wholly with momentum objectives and language and then attack the LDs, #FBPE and generally try to divide the anti Brexit movement
14) to summarize, if it quacks like a duck.... Mike we both know that if, 6 months ago you saw an account aligning so slavishly to the momentum line that you would have labeled it a momentum shill account.
You've gone well beyond a "pragmatic" soft Brexit position I'm afraid
You've gone well beyond a "pragmatic" soft Brexit position I'm afraid
16) Labour has understandable issues with minority kipper movements in Northern seats, but this also means Labour could pivot back to a harder #Brexit at any time, for political reasons.
It's just something we need to be aware of and try to encourage against
It's just something we need to be aware of and try to encourage against
17) but lining up with the momentum agenda as Mike appears to have done clearly prioritises a Labour gov at any cost over the fight for #FBPE. If that's Mike's position (because for example EU rights is his overwhelming concern) he should say so IMHO
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18) ps. Very painful to write the above, have had many good anti Brexit times with Mike & I've tried to rationalize his position but supporting Owen Jones and his "remain is hopeless" mantra was the final straw.
