Message from Peter Willsman

Please find below a model motion that the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD) is circulating for CLPs to consider adopting.

We believe it is important that CLPs defend Labour’s Conference policy on the Brexit negotiations and support our party leadership, which is implementing this agreed policy.

We would also urge CLPs to reject the right wing’s proposals to overturn Conference policy.

Yours in comradeship

Peter Willsman (Secretary, CLPD)

Model motion

This Labour Party Branch/General Meeting notes:

1) the media campaign, from newspapers that relentlessly attack the Labour Party and its leadership, calling for the Party to change its policy to immediately support the calling of a new referendum on the EU, a change which would overturn Labour Conference policy.

2) the 2018 Labour Party Conference policy on the EU and Brexit, agreed by an overwhelmingly majority, that included the following points:

‘Should Parliament vote down a Tory Brexit deal or the talks end in no-deal, Conference believes this would constitute a loss of confidence in the Government. In these circumstances, the best outcome for the country is an immediate General Election that can sweep the Tories from power.

‘If we cannot get a general election Labour must support all options remaining on the table, including campaigning for a public vote. If the Government is confident in negotiating a deal that working people, our economy and communities will benefit from they should not be afraid to put that deal to the public.’

This Branch/General Meeting affirms our support for Labour’s Conference policy, which is not that Labour should call for an immediate referendum. The policy is clear: firstly Parliament should vote down the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal and secondly that Labour should then focus its campaign on attempting to force a general election, before other options including a referendum are considered by the Party.

We believe that this is the best policy for the Party to pursue as a general election is preferable to a referendum. A general election would provide an opportunity not only to defeat the Tory’s Brexit deal but also to remove the Tory government from office and elect a Labour government. Only with a Labour government can we introduce anti-austerity policies, tackle the housing, social care and mental health crises, protect the NHS and education. This is the ‘best outcome’ which Labour Conference committed the Party to pursue.

We commend the Party leadership for making people’s jobs and living standards the priority concern informing its tactics on this issue and support its commitment to implementing Labour Conference policy.