RICHARD Leonard is facing a major revolt at his first conference as Scottish Labour leader over his failure to back permanent membership of the European single market.
Ten of Scotland’s 73 Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) have passed motions urging delegates to support the UK staying in the European single market and customs union post Brexit.
The Central Scotland MSP, who was elected party leader in November, has to date backed UK Labour’s hard Brexit position of leaving the single market - despite Scots voting by 62 per cent to remain in the EU.
The move comes as UK leader Jeremy Corbyn is also under pressure to commit Labour to a policy of keeping the UK in the single market. A letter endorsed by more than 80 party figures including Chuka Umunna and Lord Kinnock has warned plans for investment in schools and hospitals would otherwise be unfundable.
In an interview yesterday Keir Starmer, Labour’s shadow Brexit Secretary, indicated a shift in the party’s position with support for remaining in a customs union with the EU after Brexit. However, the new position still stops short of single market membership.
Starmer told BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show: “Obviously it’s the only way of realistically getting tariff-free access, it’s really important for our manufacturing base and nobody can answer the question how you keep your commitment to no hard border in Northern Ireland without a customs union.”
Starmer said Labour had had “many weeks of discussion unanimously” and had agreed to develop their policy to be announced by the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn today.
He added that Britain was more likely to strike new deals if it works “jointly with the EU”, adding: “We all want to do bold new trade agreements but we would be better off doing that with the EU.” He also signalled support for cross-party amendments on the customs union to the Trade Bill.
He said: “The Labour front bench put down a number of amendments paving the way for the option of a customs union - they went down a few weeks ago. Now these cross-party amendments have gone down essentially saying the same thing and to put it bluntly crunch time is coming for the Prime Minister.”
In Scotland, the CLPs putting pressure on Leonard are East Kilbride, Edinburgh Pentlands, Glasgow Anniesland, Inverness and Nairn, Western Isles, Paisley, Edinburgh Western, Greenock and Inverclyde, Glasgow Kelvin and Edinburgh Southern
Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray said: “Labour members... are making their voices heard - they want our party to support permanent membership of the single market and the customs union. Given the strength of feeling among ordinary members, it’s vital that we debate this at conference.
“If we are to leave the EU, the least-worst option for limiting the damage caused by Brexit is to remain as a participant in the single market and customs union.
“This is the only way to tackle austerity, protect jobs, and defend our hard-won rights for workers and consumers. Given the arithmetic in the Commons and the fact a number of Conservative backbenchers support this stance, our continued participation in the single market and customs union is in Labour’s hands.”
Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader said: “It’s about time Jeremy Corbyn, rather than aiding and abetting the extreme Brexit proposed by the right-wing Tories, started working in the national interest and backed the position of the SNP, and other opposition parties, by voting to remain a member of both the single market and customs union.”
A Scottish Labour party spokeswoman said: “Motions for debate are a matter for the conference arrangements committee.” The Scottish Labour conference takes place in Dundee between March 9 and 11.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel