Viewing 40 posts - 69,201 through 69,240 (of 77,140 total)
  • EU Referendum – are you in or out?
  • kelvin
    Full Member

    and telling everyone how clever you are to see the hidden truths

    No. This is exactly what TJ & Dazh keep doing. Telling us that Corbyn has said something he has not. That the fudge is in fact crystal clear. It is not.

    Well, point of order, I don’t think Labour policy is exactly what you want it to be.

    Well, why such interest in me shutting up and accepting that it is?

    I just want the leader of the party to say that if Labour are elected to government before we Leave, then they will legislate for, and hold, a referendum with a Remain option. If he can’t say that, for whatever reason, so be it… but I won’t be told that he has said it when he hasn’t, and that there is some kind of conspiracy, or that I have a “desire to believe”, that he hasn’t.

    dazh
    Full Member

    I also reckon that you think this is deserved, rather than just doing it because Corbyn.

    This is is the crux of the issue with labour and remainers. Many want Corbyn to be something he isn’t and never will be, which is an enthusiastic supporter of the EU. The other issue is that the remain argument has gone the same way as leave, where it is a black and white position. It’s not possible any more to be pro-EU membership and against EU economic policies. There is no rationality left, and instead just religious believer or heathen viewpoints.

    In a normal world, it should be possible to support remain and also be sceptical and critical about E.U. economic policies and political structures. Sadly we’re not in a normal world, we’re in a world of culture war schoolyard politics.

    kelvin
    Full Member

    Many want Corbyn to be something he isn’t and never will be, which is an enthusiastic supporter of the EU.

    I simply want him to say that a Labour government would hold a referendum with a Remain option. Nothing more. I do not want him to suddenly become a strong vocal supporter of the EU. As long as he allows other Labour politicians to campaign as they see fit, he can campaign for us to Leave the EU in that referendum if he wants.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    Well that is what he has said

    kelvin
    Full Member

    No. He hasn’t. And I would welcome him doing so.

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    A ballot paper would need to contain real choices for both Leave and Remain voters.

    What does that even mean? He could have said “a ballot would have to include a Remain option”. By definition, any ballot would include a choice for both Leave and Remain voters, otherwise it wouldn’t be a ballot, or it would only be balloting previous Leave voters.

    And, given this is from a report of a meeting, not from him directly, when is the meeting with the Unions scheduled to take place and when does he announce his decision to the public?

    dazh
    Full Member

    What does that even mean?

    One of the other weird things about this whole brexit debate is it’s ability to make people forget how to interpret simple language. It’s not like he’s using big words or anything.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    It was announced to the public a couple of weeks ago.

    Cougar
    Full Member

    He’s a Brexiteer. Pure and simple. Deal with it and move on. Like so many of us, former Labour voters have…

    With all due respect bud, dealing with it and moving on is not something you can remotely claim to have done. Though I rather wish you would.

    One of the other weird things about this whole brexit debate is it’s ability to make people forget how to interpret simple language. It’s not like he’s using big words or anything

    Another weird think about this Brexit debate is that people still can’t see how simple language is used to be deliberately obscure. That statement doesn’t really tell us anything useful.

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    It was announced to the public a couple of weeks ago.

    Link?

    kerley
    Free Member

    I simply want him to say that a Labour government would hold a referendum with a Remain option

    Yep, he just needs to say that. No need for a flowchart or any caveats. People who are Labour first and leave/remain second can then still support the Labour party on it’s policies and intentions.

    cb
    Full Member

    This Conservative government is too weak and divided to deliver a Brexit deal that meets the needs of our communities, already under huge pressure from years of austerity.

    Labour has put forward an alternative plan to seek a close and cooperative relationship with the European Union, including a new comprehensive customs union with a UK say, close single market alignment, guaranteed rights and standards, and the protection of the Good Friday peace agreement in Northern Ireland.

    All this talk of Labour’s policy being so clear and well stated…surely a simple paragraph on the Labour Party website wouldn’t be too much to ask. You know, explaining how they want a second vote, with remain options. So that the non ‘politically astute’ (like me) know who we should vote for…

    Instead, we get the above..

    Northwind
    Full Member

    kelvin

    Subscriber

    Well, why such interest in me shutting up and accepting that it is?

    I’ve never said anything of the sort and not for the first time, it’s really weird that this is what you manage to see in my post. Not being funny but I’ve taken a bit of time in responding to you, and you see what you want to see and then kindly tell me what I mean. The irony is pretty strong this time, and really does more to make my point than anything I can say, but I’m really not sure why I keep doing it.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    Scotroutes. In a statement as above and also at pmqs

    BigButSlimmerBloke
    Free Member

    Scotroutes. In a statement as above and also at pmqs

    so there will be a link to it?

    Also, didn’t Corbyn say there would be free pizza for everyone? In statement. Like one above.

    kelvin
    Full Member

    it’s really weird that this is what you manage to see in my post

    It’s really weird that you manage to know that I “want to believe” that Labour policy isn’t what TJ & Dazh say it is (and I would like it to be). Almost as weird as you saying that you think “Labour policy is clear”… so go on, If I and enough others vote Labour, and Labour go on to form a government before we have left, do we get a referendum with a Remain option? Is that what Corbyn will persue as PM? A link to the leader saying so would be fantastic… go ahead…

    dazh
    Full Member

     A link to the leader saying so would be fantastic… go ahead…

    This getting beyond silly. He’s been directly quoted on the record many times saying the above. Like I said, he could take a blood oath on live telly and it would still not be enough. If you don’t want to vote for labour fine, but please spare us the bleating about how upset you are by it. If moral purity is your aim, vote green. They have better policies than labour and are enthusiastically pro-remain. It won’t do much to stop brexit, but you’ll probably feel better for it.

    kelvin
    Full Member

    He’s been directly quoted on the record many times saying the above.

    Link?

    Should we really need archeology skills to get to the bottom of this? If he has said that a Labour government would hold a referendum with a Remain option, he just needs to state this, unequivocally, with clear language, in public, and millions of voters would return to voting for and supporting his party. He could even get himself a slot on a prime time current affairs programme to make sure we all hear him say it…

    robjones
    Free Member

    I totally agree with Kelvin here. I just went back and read what JC had said at PMQs:

    “Whatever Brexit plan the new Tory leader comes up with, after three long years of failure they should have the confidence to go back to the people on a deal agreed by parliament.”

    That is clearly not a commitment for JC to take a labour-negotiated deal to a referendum. It refers only to a Tory leader taking their plan to a referendum.

    On the subject of what is the referendum question, I also can’t find a firm commitment to “remain in the EU” being on a 2nd referendum. “Options for both leavers and remainers” is not unambiguous and it is obvious that he could have made it crystal clear if he wanted. For example “a second referendum would contain an option to remain in the EU” or “a second referendum would contain options including ‘remain in the EU'” would both be clear. As I said before I am a full on remainer and I would have been happy if Labour came out with a commitment to leave, but remain very closely aligned and with progressive policies. An example of an “option for remainers” would therefore be “leave the EU but remain signed up to FOM, SM, etc”. An “option for remainers” is broader than “remain in the EU”.

    robjones
    Free Member

    One more thing. I just saw this from Robert Peston. If Labour MPs are complaining there is no clear Labour position on this, I don’t understand how people on here can claim it is crystal clear.

    piha
    Free Member

    Have the Jezza fanboys produced their much hyped but rather mysterious Labour Ref link yet?

    dazh
    Full Member

    If Labour MPs are complaining there is no clear Labour position on this

    Have another read of TJ’s comments above. They’re not arguing over whether there will be a new referendum with a remain option under labour as they’ve already comitted to that (at least they have if you’re not a pedant). They’re arguing about whether labour will campaign for remain in that referendum. That is still up for debate. I suspect Corbyn, as he has already hinted, will go down a Wilsonian route of allowing his MPs to campaign according to their consciences.

    Speeder
    Full Member

    “Options for both leavers and remainers”

    It’s easier to say “option to remain” so I’m +1 on the ambiguity is deliberate front.

    kimbers
    Full Member

    its almost as if Corbyn wants to stay in opposition!

    olddog
    Full Member

    What’s netting on a straight remain v no deal shoot off in a 2nd ref it’s getting too polarised for anything else now

    kelvin
    Full Member

    Why is Diane Abbott worried? Send TJ & Dazh around to see her and set her straight…

    And the warnings about the fall out from a no deal are often exaggerated… mostly by people wanting the warnings to be ignored.

    dissonance
    Full Member

    I don’t understand how people on here can claim it is crystal clear.

    Good question. Possibly one for Binners or kelvin amongst others to answer since they seem absolutely certain.

    kelvin
    Full Member

    I am only certain that it is far from clear. Constructive ambiguity has others certain that things have been said that haven’t.

    robjones
    Free Member

    Good question. Possibly one for Binners or kelvin amongst others to answer since they seem absolutely certain.

    Binners does seem very certain of Corbyn’s views on all sorts of things and it’s no more helpful than people telling me the Labour party’s position on brexit / 2nd ref remain option is obvious. I just don’t see it either way because I don’t hear a clear message either way.

    there will be a new referendum with a remain option under labour as they’ve already comitted to that (at least they have if you’re not a pedant)

    Maybe I am a pedant? Or maybe I just missed the commitment, if someone could just put it here I am happy to be corrected.

    kerley
    Free Member

    I just don’t see it either way because I don’t hear a clear message either way.

    There isn’t a clear message either way. For the last 3 years Labour have been trying to dance the line between leavers and remainers in the hope of keeping them all happy. Clearly hasn’t worked and that has become more obvious than ever with recent results.

    I can see why they couldn’t say they are a remain party but they could easily be clear on 2nd ref (want one or not), options in 2nd Ref and that 2nd ref applies to any parties brexit deal (including their own)

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    8 hours and no link. Has TJ flounced again?

    pondo
    Full Member

    For the last 3 years Labour have been trying to dance the line between leavers and remainers in the hope of keeping them all happy. 

    +1, and in this day and age it just doesn’t seem like a winning tactic. I certainly can’t vote for a party that doesn’t have a stance one way or the other on Brexit. If they’re not for Remain, I just can’t vote for ’em.

    AD
    Full Member

    This has the potential to be entertaining – can’t wait for all the Brexiteers to jump to Nigel’s defence. I wish I had mates who’d give me £450k…

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/politics/nigel-farage-should-face-highest-penalty-over-undeclared-gifts-from-arron-banks-says-eu-committee/ar-AADsRPx?ocid=spartandhp

    doomanic
    Full Member

    They’ll spin it so it’s the evil, unelected EU parliament picking on poor man-frog of the people Nige.

    FuzzyWuzzy
    Full Member

    They’re not arguing over whether there will be a new referendum with a remain option under labour as they’ve already comitted to that (at least they have if you’re not a pedant)

    No they haven’t, you must be extremely naive to think otherwise.

    yourguitarhero
    Free Member

    I pay attention to politics. Not as much as some, but I do read lots.

    I do not know what Labour’s policy on Brexit is. I have read about it, but I don’t understand it. It seems obfuscated and has weird caveats in it.

    To be fair, I don’t know what the Tories position is either. Though I don’t think they know.

    I do know what the Lib Dems, DUP, SNP and Greens policies on Brexit are. The DUP one doesn’t make sense (as any Brexit policy cannot), but at least they know what it is

    binners
    Full Member

    It seems Labour Brexit policy is whatever you want it to be.

    Simply project your wishes onto it and they will magically become reality

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    24 hours and no link. TJ and dazh must have gone on their summer recess.

    dazh
    Full Member

    24 hours and no link.

    Sent a link yesterday. If you choose not to believe it that’s up to you. There’s no point sending anything else because this issue is not a matter of evidence any more for you guys, it’s a matter of belief. If Corbyn himself came to visit you and told you he intended to hold a referendum and support remain you wouldn’t believe him.

    They’ve announced their intentions regarding holding a second referendum. They’re still debating the position on how they will campaign in that referendum, and you’ll have to wait a bit longer for that.

    For my money I think they’ll follow Wilson’s example and suspend collective responsibility and the party whip to allow MPs to vote with their consciences. It’s the only way to keep the party together. Of course they’ve got to win an election first to get a referendum but many remainers seem hellbent on preventing that so the whole debate is a bit pointless.

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