Thread by @KirstyS_Hughes

Unpicking Keir Starmer’s refusal to oppose Brexit & attempts to push Labour to a ‘soft’ Brexit: a thread Starmer: “accepts there is nothing he or anyone else can do to stop it [Brexit]” 1.
theguardian.com/politics/2018/…

But this is self-fulfilling: if Labour won’t oppose Brexit as main opposition party, it will happen but doesn’t have to. 2. In Jan an ICM polled found 58% wd support a further referendum on the deal to 42% against. Since last summer, a small majority for remain in most polls. 2.

And it’s an abdication of political responsibility & leadership. If Labour stood up against the growing, inevitable & huge economic & political damage of brexit, polls cd shift more to remain. So Starmer & Labour can do something to stop Brexit but choose not to. 3.

Starmer: “If you find yourself in a position you would rather was not there, you have to make it work.” So he accepts the vote forever. But in a democracy, opposition parties fight a damaging decision, campaign to change minds, provide opposition? Abdication of responsibility 4

Starmer “Two-thirds of our MPs are in Leave seats..[&] feel strongly that they shd be trying to put across the views of those they have been elected by.” So MPs don’t reflect Labour voters’ views (pro-EU 2/3) nor UK-wide polls but referendum vote that wasn’t a general election 5

Starmer: “We really cannot allow the Labour party to divide and break up on this issue”. So his position driven by retaining seats, protecting Labour & never mind the huge damage to the UK, to younger generations, to all of us. Then we move onto cake & eat it: 6.

Starmer wants all the benefits of the EU’s single market & customs union “hardwired into the final agreement”. But not Norway, not free movement of people (he’ll get a half-way compromise on that – tell that to Brussels). 7.

So he wants to give up UK vote, participation in EU, magically keep all benefits, pretend UK won’t just be a rule-taker. All this to avoid Labour taking a lead against the Tories on Brexit. It’s political cowardice on a large scale. 8.

Interview ends w @Keir_Starmer on voting for A50: “We are a pro-EU party, we campaigned to stay in the EU. It was a difficult and draining time for all us of us.” That should read ‘we were a pro-EU party’. Time any serious Labour politicians backed another EU referendum 9. ends