LET’S face it, Labour’s Brexit policy has been hard to fathom from the off.
The issue has caused deep divisions in the party, with both those opposed and those in favour hitting out at so-called Labour strategy.
Amid the confusion, Jeremy Corbyn has at least been clear on two issues: He wants the UK to leave the EU and he is intent on ending freedom of movement.
READ MORE: People are furious about Labour’s anti-immigration stance
The memo wasn’t passed on to the Scottish branch office manager, however.
Richard Leonard made that fact clear in a new Scottish Labour video promoting Labour’s European Parliament election campaign – prompting a familiar sense of exasperation among social media users.
Immediately, he was off to a shaky start. “Labour is an internationalist party,” Leonard declared.
He added: “We believe that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve much more than we could ever achieve alone.
“That’s why we back action across Europe to stand up to global corporations – corporations who won’t pay their tax.
“That’s why we back common workers’ rights across Europe so that people get a fair deal at work, and it’s why we back actions across Europe on climate change.
“Our planet faces a climate emergency and no country standing alone can solve it alone. We need to work together.”
He concluded: “A vote for Labour on May 23 is a vote for internationalism, it’s a vote for working together and it’s a vote for a fairer society.”
A vote for @ScottishLabour in the European Parliament elections on the 23rd of May is a vote for internationalism.
— Richard Leonard (@LabourRichard) May 9, 2019
Only Labour across the UK has the strength to defeat the Brexit Party and the far-right. pic.twitter.com/F2e4aTmquk
It sounds like Labour are determined to achieve these undeniably noble aims through a collaborative effort with our European neighbours.
If only there were some kind of bloc, in which people could freely, that could bring us together to implement laws which satisfied these ambitions … The Jouker it at a loss but Twitter users were quick to suggest corrections for Leonard’s video.
Here are a few of the best:
It's a vote for ending freedom of movement.
— Paul Martin (@PWMartin_Leith) May 9, 2019
So why is labour for Brexit?
— Donald,Son of Donald (@DadWasEnglish) May 9, 2019
You know that thing you get at the end of Twitter videos that says "Watch again", well I had to watch again because I couldn't bloody believe what my eyes had just seen. This is the most shameless strangulation of the truth I've seen since #EUref
— Graham Purnell (@gwpurnell) May 9, 2019
Yeah, thanks but no thanks. I’d actually like to cast my vote for party that wants to remain in the EU, just like the majority of voters in Scotland.
— Purple Monkey (@monkeyofpurple) May 9, 2019
Newsflash: narrow, backwardly focused parochialism is not internationalism
— Prof Happy Troll (@HappyTroll69) May 9, 2019
The answer to every point you raise is somewhat undone by your parties pro Brexit position. Internationalism? Working across Europe? Coming together? Nope, nope, nope. Not when you're going to go through with Brexit.
— Scott (@ScottTsukuru) May 9, 2019
Internationalism that stops freedom of movement? Aye, right...
— Left Peggers (@LeftPeggers) May 9, 2019
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