By Labour’s governing body has agreed to support a further referendum on Brexit under certain circumstances.
Where will this leave Melanie Onn?
The Labour National Executive Committee met to decide the wording of its manifesto for May’s European elections.
It has rejected the idea of campaigning for a referendum under all circumstances, however the party will demand a public vote if it cannot get changes to the government’s deal or an election.
Melanie Onn has previously said she will not support a second referendum but the National Executive Committee (NEC) oversees the overall direction of the party and is made up of representatives including shadow cabinet members, MPs, councillors and trade unions.
Having recently resigned from the front bench because of her stance of not supporting a second referendum this could leave her and many of her colleagues from Brexit Constituencies in a very difficult position.
The UK will have to take part in European Parliamentary elections on 23 May unless a Brexit deal is accepted by MPs before then.
Labour agreed a policy at its last conference that if Parliament voted down the government’s withdrawal deal with the EU, or talks ended in no-deal, there should be a general election. If it could not force one, the conference agreed that the party
“must support all options remaining on the table, including campaigning for a public vote”.
Labour’s position on Brexit so far.
June 2017 – Labour’s general election manifesto accepts referendum result
28 September 2018 – Labour agrees if a general election cannot be achieved it “must support all options… including campaigning for a public vote”
November 2018 – Shadow chancellor John McDonnell says Labour will “inevitably” back a second referendum if unable to secure general election
16 January 2019 – 71 Labour MPs say they support a public vote
6 February 2019 – Mr Corbyn writes a letter to Mrs May seeking five changes to her Brexit policy with no mention of a “People’s Vote”
25 February 2019 – Labour says it will back a public vote if its proposed Brexit deal is rejected
14 March 2019 – Labour orders its MPs to abstain on an amendment calling for a second referendum
27 March 2019 – The party instructs its MPs to support Margaret Beckett’s amendment which calls for a confirmatory public vote on any Brexit deal
30 April 2019 – NEC agrees that the European election manifesto will commit to a further referendum under certain circumstances
Source: BBC News
Contact Gi National
Email us: news@gi-media.co.uk
