ITV’s Paul Brand put out a tweet this morning claiming that ‘hundreds’ of Labour CLPs (constituency Labour parties) have submitted motions to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) calling for members to be ‘consulted’ on whether they want a new referendum:
But this was untrue. An NEC member told the SKWAWKBOX that the number was:
A couple of dozen at most.
NEC member on pro-referendum motions
The SKWAWKBOX contacted Mr Brand to ask where he obtained the ‘hundreds’ information and to point out the real number. He responded to say he was happy to correct if it was wrong – and that he was ‘chasing a precise figure to check‘.
After this blog contacted him, Brand also tweeted:
Sixty is not just “short of ‘hundreds‘”, but a long way short of hundreds – and more than the “couple of dozen at most” referenced by the NEC, which might of course be considered the ‘best figure’.
In addition, a number of CLPs have also submitted motions rejecting the idea of a new referendum or supporting the Labour leadership’s decision not to back one.
SKWAWKBOX comment:
There has been a concerted push by media and referendum supporters recently to portray ‘increasing pressure’ on Jeremy Corbyn to back a new referendum – even though recent polling suggests it would damage Labour’s general election prospects and a leaked poll by a pro-referendum organisation admitted the same.
There is nothing to indicate that Brand’s tweet was part of this, but he claimed ‘hundreds’ as fact, with no caveats – and then admitted he didn’t have a figure. When he did, it was a long way short of even a single hundred.
That’s a journalistic failure and one that will only underpin the suspicion of so many regarding the information put out by the so-called ‘MSM’.
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One of our branches proposed motion, but we could not discuss it as it did not comply with timescales for motions.had it been in timescales we would have discussed the motion and taken a vote on it.
It’s a bit of an arid debate. The position is that a majority of Labour members and supporters recognise the damage that ensues from any form of Brexit. That much is clear. As is the majority support for Corbyn as leader, and the minority support for Lexit.
That said, there are conflicting views within the Party about what is the best way forward. The views range from ‘we’re trapped into the referendum’, through ‘give up and get the best Tory policy we can’, via ‘suspend Article 50’ and ‘we need another referendum’ to ‘parliament should just withdraw Article 50’.
There’s really nothing strange about this being the situation, and, as with Brexit in general, it cuts across general political standpoints. Forget the nonsense about ‘Blairites’ versus ‘The Left’. It doesn’t apply. Or appeal to any but the equivalent of the deluded Palestian People’s Front who prefer the purity of sectarianism to a party that might stand a prayer of winning.
12 is about 4% of CLPs.
Some argue re Brexit the EC would accept a few extra weeks extension after 29 March or even 3 months at the latest if needed.
But beware the Right’s cunning plan – one year is to give time for a second PV.
The Tories have turned the Backstop into an Insurance Policy but May’s Brexit Deal is a Half Brexit – Half Out, Half In, probably to please Big Business and the City of London.
This is not what people voted for.
Labour could win a Better Brexit.
But if Labour supports a second PV then I am afraid for socialists (though pleasing the Labour Right) we snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!
And for the many of us supporting the Corbyn Project (to quote a John Lennon song) “The dream is over.”
Have faith in JC.
“This is not what people voted for.”
The bullshit indicator rings whenever I see a phrase like this.
A hell of a lot of people didn’t themselves know what they were voting for.
… except it probably wasn’t this shit-show that is the inevitable actuality of the Brexit nonsense.
A shame the NEC member couldn’t provide better than an estimate.
“Couple of dozen at most” sounds like prevarication – a specific number wouldn’t.
See my comment. The motion came too late. I would however like to refer to the brilliant interview Manuel Cortex gave before Christmas and which is published at THECLARIONMAG.ORG dated 21.12.2018.
He answers loaf’s of questions and I think his way is the way forward, might only require guts to do…..