Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #Lab18
Most recents (17)
1/6
If we are going to have a special conference with #Lab18 delegates, it needs to happen before Xmas. A thread on where we stand and why the greatest risk is we run out of time for the #Labour leadership to back a #PeoplesVote in parliament ... amp.theguardian.com/politics/2018/…
If we are going to have a special conference with #Lab18 delegates, it needs to happen before Xmas. A thread on where we stand and why the greatest risk is we run out of time for the #Labour leadership to back a #PeoplesVote in parliament ... amp.theguardian.com/politics/2018/…
2/6 @Remain_Labour has been calling for the party to campaign to #Remain since Dec 2017. In parallel we have engaged with and respected party policy.
Policy agreed at #Lab18 is about to expire. Once May's #Brexit deal is voted down, we are bound to call for an immediate election
Policy agreed at #Lab18 is about to expire. Once May's #Brexit deal is voted down, we are bound to call for an immediate election
A little clarification re: @UKLabour’s National Constitutional Committee (NCC) elections, because some people might be confused. To recap: the Centre Left Grassroots Alliance (CLGA) traditionally brings groups on the Labour left to agree joint slates for internal elections. (1/8)
The CLGA has been going many years previous to @jeremycorbyn’s election and well before Momentum existed. It has consisted of socialist organisations like @LRCinfo, @LabourCND & @CLPD_Labour. Naturally, Momentum were invited to join once established in late 2015. (2/8)
1) Corbyn, control & democracy
The attempt to crush the #PeoplesVote initiative from Corbyn's team should ring alarm bells for anyone who values democracy
& transparency, inside Labour or outside. He is and will always be an authoritarian
#Lab18
The attempt to crush the #PeoplesVote initiative from Corbyn's team should ring alarm bells for anyone who values democracy
& transparency, inside Labour or outside. He is and will always be an authoritarian
#Lab18
2) you can argue back and forth on whether a #PeoplesVote is strategically good, bad or horrendous for Labour, or that Corbyn's offer to work with the Tories on #Brexit is "political theatre". The fact is the new Labour position is the exact opposite of what the members wanted
3) the reality is, 150 local parties submitted motions and the overwhelming majority supported a people's vote with an option to remain.
That has somehow completely transformed into a Labour offer to compromise the 6 tests for a Tory led Brexit
That has somehow completely transformed into a Labour offer to compromise the 6 tests for a Tory led Brexit
[thread] I'm a big fan of nationalised utilities, universal childcare, green jobs,worker share ownership & other policies unveiled at #Lab18
...but the whole thing has left a sour taste in my mouth. Here are some of the reasons why:
1/ The determination of part of the leadership to push Brexit, which will be disastrous for working class people:
Very smart line from Corbyn. ‘We respect vote of British people, but not the conduct of British government.’ This is exactly how to frame it. The people thought they were making their lives better. When they see how gov is screwing them, they must have right to change their minds
So there it is. Corbyn didn’t mention ‘remain’ but didn’t have to. He praised Starmer. He kept Leavers on board by saying Lab would endorse a same-benefits Brexit, & Remainers who know it can’t be done. He doesn’t need to become full-throated Europhile. This was progress. #Lab18
Just 1 tiny Q. His first conditions were customs union & invisible border in Ireland. Technically that allows prospect of Irish Sea border or soft Brexit with SM/CU. But he also calculates May wouldn’t survive either of those. Still almost impossible Lab will back any Tory Brexit
1) Great article on why #Brexit is insoluble
We can rail about respecting the vote, the EU being stubborn,May being incompetent etc all day long. The fact is it cannot be negotiated successfully, and anyone who believes otherwise is mistaken
#Lab18
blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2018/09…
We can rail about respecting the vote, the EU being stubborn,May being incompetent etc all day long. The fact is it cannot be negotiated successfully, and anyone who believes otherwise is mistaken
#Lab18
blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2018/09…
2) reasons are very simple, and always have been. The deal that was promised & any feasible deal are so far apart as to be unrecognisable
Either Brexit will be so painful that it will destroy the party who implements or so meaningless that it would be embarrassing to implement
Either Brexit will be so painful that it will destroy the party who implements or so meaningless that it would be embarrassing to implement
3) half the country do not want Brexit, the other half (apart from the hardcore) voted for the pain free, cake & eat it easy brexit that was promised.
There is *no* feasible Brexit that would gain a majority in the UK & non possible within the EU & UKs red lines
There is *no* feasible Brexit that would gain a majority in the UK & non possible within the EU & UKs red lines
1) Numerous Lexit commentators saying "Remain option will kill Labour"
*This* Brexit is a Tory program, just as austerity was. And austerity got a big vote in 2010 & an even bigger one in 2015.
If it's the wrong policy it should be opposed, even if it's "popular"
#Lab18
*This* Brexit is a Tory program, just as austerity was. And austerity got a big vote in 2010 & an even bigger one in 2015.
If it's the wrong policy it should be opposed, even if it's "popular"
#Lab18
I get a lot more calls about Corbyn than I do about Brexit
Britain is about to transition from a debate about 'Brexinomics' to a debate about 'Corbynomics'
Lots of people in the City are already having that debate
Britain is about to transition from a debate about 'Brexinomics' to a debate about 'Corbynomics'
Lots of people in the City are already having that debate
And usually the same question comes up - what do ordinary people think about Corbyn's policies?
1) Thread - Leavers "bored with the details" on #Brexit
Fascinating poll which reveals 66% of Leave Voters are uninterested in exactly how we leave the EU, they just want to leave. This brings into question - exactly *what* are we achieving pushing for Brexit?
#Lab18
Fascinating poll which reveals 66% of Leave Voters are uninterested in exactly how we leave the EU, they just want to leave. This brings into question - exactly *what* are we achieving pushing for Brexit?
#Lab18
2) the main point here is that only 1/6 of the country, at most, actually care whether we leave on WTO terms or Norway+Single Market or anything in between. The rest either want to Remain or are uninterested in the details of leaving. This leads to several conclusions
3) Firstly, no-one, least of all Rees-Mogg & the ERG, speaks for everyone or even a majority of Leavers.
When various right wing commentators say "give us the #Brexit we voted for" or push for no deal, they speak for almost no-one but themselves
No deal has very little support
When various right wing commentators say "give us the #Brexit we voted for" or push for no deal, they speak for almost no-one but themselves
No deal has very little support
Jewish Labour/Co-op MPs left the ASLEF/Co-op party at #Lab18 because Marc Wadsworth was inside.
Luciana Berger left & Ruth Smeeth turned around at the door. The event was invite only.
Source says she asked Co-op staff to ask him to leave, but they didn’t as he was ASLEF’s guest
Luciana Berger left & Ruth Smeeth turned around at the door. The event was invite only.
Source says she asked Co-op staff to ask him to leave, but they didn’t as he was ASLEF’s guest
Source tells me Wadsworth was there with ASLEF boss and Labour NEC member Tosh McDonald.
Wadsworth was expelled from the party after he heckled Smeeth at the launch of an anti-semitism investigation.
He claims he did not know that she was Jewish, but he was expelled for bringing the party into disrepute.
He claims he did not know that she was Jewish, but he was expelled for bringing the party into disrepute.
With the Brexiteers at the Labour Leave fringe. #Lab2018
The FBU’s Paul Embery says the EU “is an explicitly anti-socialist institution” #Lab2018
Embery says Labour flirting with a second Brexit referendum is “disturbing” and “electoral suicide.” #Lab2018
I am still a bit bleary eyed after the #Brexit compositing meeting at #Lab18 last night, but it's vital that we establish what really happened. As you read this, a reminder that I was in the room as a delegate and John McDonnell was not.
Firstly, the leadership did make concessions. After four hours it was clear that the original text put forward by Keir's team would not satisfy the room, especially all the grassroots supporters of a #PeoplesVote. Thanks to the case we made, a new text was proposed at 11ish.
The second text was a step forward and formed the basis of the final motion. However, we were able to secure further concessions and move Labour policy on #Brexit firmly in the right direction.
I'm a strong and committed Remainer.
But I also think it's a mistake to force Jeremy Corbyn to commit to a second Referendum on Brexit. Labour members shouldn't go down that road.
#lab18
Here's why:
But I also think it's a mistake to force Jeremy Corbyn to commit to a second Referendum on Brexit. Labour members shouldn't go down that road.
#lab18
Here's why:
If Corbyn says he is committed to a second Referendum *before* Theresa May's deal has been voted on, it will be a disaster.
Why? Two reasons:
Why? Two reasons:
First, May will immediately accuse him of helping the EU and trying to wreck Brexit. It will unite all Tories (ensuring her deal goes through).
Secondly, it will allow her to say Labour were always angling for No Deal, and are to blame from fallout of No Deal.
Secondly, it will allow her to say Labour were always angling for No Deal, and are to blame from fallout of No Deal.
1) Thread: "We knew what we were voting for" & #Brexit
This shouldn't really need saying but no, we didn't, we couldn't, because of the dishonest campaign ran by the Vote Leavers
History has been rewritten but the following are some edited highlights
#Lab18 #LabourConference2018
This shouldn't really need saying but no, we didn't, we couldn't, because of the dishonest campaign ran by the Vote Leavers
History has been rewritten but the following are some edited highlights
#Lab18 #LabourConference2018
2) Firstly, what did Vote Leave promise?
Well Gove said there'd just be a few "Bumps in the Road" in a pre ref debate
strongerin.co.uk/bumps_in_the_r…
Well Gove said there'd just be a few "Bumps in the Road" in a pre ref debate
strongerin.co.uk/bumps_in_the_r…
3) Leadsom stated that in her expert opinion as a former city worker that there'd be no impact on the British economy
buzzfeed.com/emilyashton/an…
buzzfeed.com/emilyashton/an…
1) Thread on asking the same question over & over on #Brexit
This is the main argument against a #peoplesvote from Brexit supporters - "we already voted, we knew what we were voting for"
The problem with this argument is that the evidence shows Leavers saw the wrong question
This is the main argument against a #peoplesvote from Brexit supporters - "we already voted, we knew what we were voting for"
The problem with this argument is that the evidence shows Leavers saw the wrong question
2) now, hard-line leavers will say "rubbish, we knew what we were voting for" however there's no evidence whatsoever that the majority did. Vote Leave lied to them, comprehensively, completely & effectively
This is actually the real question, and always was
This is actually the real question, and always was
3) the (old) blog post following gives the evidence for this, the duplicity of the Leave Campaign ("a few lumps & bumps" Gove said) however this graphic from a post ref Telegraph poll (that famous Remoaner paper) illustrates just how mixed up the Leave vote was
Fantastic to see so many sisters at #lab18 women’s conference this year. We have two brilliant events in this conference, one on rising homelessness and one on technology and equality:
On #lab18 Monday, we have a brilliant panel - including the Mayor of Manchester, @AndyBurnhamGM - discussing the problem of rising women’s homelessness in the context of a near decade of austerity measures:
On #lab18 Tuesday, we have an expert panel discussing how we use technology for the common good and make the most of it to bring teach equality to the many:
With Miko Peled at #Lab18 - Peled made the papers at last year's Labour conference for comments which included his call for the no-platforming of Zionists (most Jews) in same manner as "Neo-Nazis" - he also has made other well publicised dodgy anti-Jewish statements.
