Labour Comes on Board – at Last!

This week Labour finally officially backed a second Brexit referendum. Emily Thornberry, Keir Starmer, and Tom Watson in particular rose to the level of events by leading the charge, and override initial jitters over whether this meant a referendum without Remain on the ballot paper.

But as I argue in my New European column this week, we aren’t in the promised land yet. Corbyn’s support is a crucial step towards a People’s Vote, but it will not be enough on its own to guarantee one as May continues to be held hostage by the European Research Group. Now, more than ever, MPs from all sides need to see the level of public anger. So start your preparations for the Put It To The People march, on March 23, and make sure you will be there.

One person I hope to see there is Corbyn himself. Tom Watson and Diane Abbott have already announced that they will come and marches are Corbyn’s natural environment after all.

This week I also gave a Speaker’s House lecture on my political mentor and hero Roy Jenkins. I have not the slightest doubt that Roy would have been uncompromisingly against Brexit, which is the undoing of much of his life’s work, and that belief motivates me every day in resisting Brexit. It will be broadcast on BBC Parliament at 9pm this Saturday.

The Brexit tour continued this week – including to Brussels where I gave the annual John Fitzmaurice lecture. Next week I will be debating Nigel Farage in the Oxford Union on Friday – stay tuned!