Labour’s Brexit election tactic shakes party faithful

Labour could table mul­tiple votes of no confidence until it triggers a general election.

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in the Commons. Picture: AFP

Labour could table mul­tiple votes of no confidence until it triggers a general election.

Senior party sources said yesterday they would make a ­series of attempts to oust Theresa May’s government.

“This is not about one vote of no confidence in the government, it is about a sustained campaign to show it has no majority,’’ one said.

Jeremy Corbyn’s tactic risks a row with MPs who want to clarify the party’s position on a second referendum.

MP David Lammy said: “This is not the time for further pussyfooting around or hesitation by Labour … If we cannot secure a general election, Labour should honour the next stage of our conference policy and start actively campaigning — with people of all parties and of none — to give the public the final say.”

Mr Corbyn’s position could anger MPs who want a people’s vote. A letter was being circulated showing about 100 Labour MPs supported a second referendum.

The party has said it would consider backing a second poll only if it could not force an election.

Although Mr Corbyn predicted that parliament would “give its verdict on the sheer incompetence of this government” at this morning’s (6am AEDT) no-confidence vote, his hopes receded after Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster made it clear her MPs would not support a vote of no confidence.

The European Research Group of Eurosceptic Tory MPs chaired by Jacob Rees-Mogg also promised to support the government in the vote.

The 10 DUP MPs guarantee Mrs May her majority in the Commons. Mrs Foster said her MPs “still want to support the government” to bring stability to the country, although she demanded that the Prime Minister return to Brussels to win a better deal.

Mr Corbyn also faces pressure from Labour grassroots members who are campaigning for a new referendum.

After intense wrangling between its different wings, the party agreed at its annual conference in September that a second referendum was one option if attempts to force an election failed.

Labour backbencher and former shadow chancellor Chris Leslie said the party risked haemorr­haging support from young voters if it reneged on this.

Internal Labour opponents of a second referendum, as well as Len McCluskey, leader of the Unite union, argue that the party risks alienating voters in seats that voted Leave in 2016 and that it cannot afford to lose at the next election. Labour represents some of the most staunchly pro-Leave and pro-Remain seats.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell suggested another ­option would be to try to rally parliamentary support for Labour’s preferred Brexit deal. “If we do reach an impasse at that stage, we do have to consider” a second referendum, he added.

Sources said home affairs spokeswoman Diane Abbott would be central to any change in Labour’s stand on another ­referendum.

Ms Abbott was “very, very loyal” to what was agreed at the party conference in September, sources said, adding: “Where Diane is will be where the party ends up. Diane will be central ­because of her close relationship with Jeremy and, of course, her brief covers Brexit.”

The Times