Corbyn to urge ‘outriders’ to stop attacks on Labour ‘leave’ MPs, promises no whip withdrawal
A series of recent columns by ‘blue-tick left’, remain-supporting commentators have demanded that Corbyn must withdraw the whip – essentially expel from the parliamentary Labour party (PLP) – any MP who votes in favour of Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, should he succeed in reaching an agreement with the European Union.
A number of MPs submitted written complaints to the Labour leader about those articles, which they believe are an attempt to publicly bully or intimidate them into turning against the wishes of their constituents.
In response, Corbyn has promised that:
- MPs will not lose the whip for any vote on Johnson’s deal
- he will ask blue-tick outriders to cease the ‘bullying’ of northern MPs
This commitment effectively means that the vote on any deal Johnson brings back to Parliament will be treated as an ‘unwhipped’ conscience issue, allowing MPs freedom to vote as they believe best.
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