Mersey Mayor leads Labour Split Over Corbyn Brexit Plans

Mersey Mayor leads Labour Split Over Corbyn Brexit Plans

Labour’s Liverpool Mayor has broken ranks with Jeremy Corbyn’s policies to penalise the poor and cripple public services​ by plunging into Brexit without protection.​

Mayor Joe Anderson and several Liverpool Labour MPs have joined their colleagues from the North East of England seeking to protect the Northern economy, and particularly poorly-paid workers in the region, from the ravages of the unplanned Brexit which Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn are leading Britain towards.

The Labour rebels are seeking to maintain the advantages of the Customs Union and Single Market for British industry when Britain leaves the EC.

Labour’s two Sefton MPs Bill Esterson and Peter Dowd have not commented publicly on the uncivil war which is breaking out in Liverpool Labour ranks on this and other issues.

But Liverpool MP Luciana Berger and Wirral colleague Alison McGovern have come off the fence and publicly state that a bad Brexit deal would be “catastrophic” Even with a free trade deal GDP growth could be 8% lower in the North West, they said, which “would be catastrophic for already-stretched public services including our NHS”.  They are joined by senior backbench Labour MPs Louse Elleman and Maria Eagle in calling for a ‘People’s Vote’ on the final Brexit deal.

Mayor Anderson says that people are routinely asked twice about serious decisions to make sure they’re absolutely sure. He thinks Brexit should be no different. He took to Twitter on Sunday saying: “Another vote on leaving Europe is surely a good thing. Those who voted leave can do so again.”

“If you cancel insurance you get asked more than once are you sure, or if you want to delete an e-mail it asks are you sure. On such an important matter let’s ask. #leaveEUareyousure?”

In an open letter, the Merseyside MPs said:

“Whatever you think of Brexit, there’s no denying that it’s a big deal, and it is only now that the full implications of any Brexit deal are becoming apparent. People are therefore entitled to have their say on the deal before irrevocable steps are taken.”

“We need look no further than the wise words of the Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, who said ‘let’s sit together again. Let’s think about it again and let’s vote again with the right information – not with the information you’ve got around the Brexit campaign.’