Tony Blair has urged Labour MPs to vote against Theresa May’s deal when it comes to the Commons. In a speech at the British Academy this afternoon, Blair described the deal as ‘pointless’ and added that it was ‘gut-wrenching’ that Labour was not doing more to get a second referendum.
Blair’s views on Brexit aren’t much of a surprise. But it’s interesting to note the similarity for once between Blair’s position and the official Labour line: both are focused on voting down the deal in support of what they see as a bigger goal.
Similar, that is, apart from one crucial detail: while Blair wants a second referendum, Jeremy Corbyn is manoeuvring for a general election.
All the signs so far (including from Rebecca Long-Bailey’s excruciatingly evasive Today interview this morning) are that Corbyn will instruct Labour MPs to vote down the Brexit deal, regardless of the content (which is bad news, if nothing else, for the Tory whips hoping to rely on moderate Labour votes when the deal goes to the Commons next month).
Instead Corbyn hopes that by defeating the deal Labour can bring down the government and force a general election. This is the key to understanding Labour’s position on Brexit: it’s fundamentally about the party’s self-interest.
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