Why Did Voters Trust Labour On Brexit?

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

So…the Labour Party will impose a three-line whip on its MPs to vote against the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill in a move described as a “monstrous betrayal” of voters. (The Guardian, yesterday- https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/05/labour-mps-face-three-line-whip-to-oppose-eu-withdrawal-bill )

Labour had previously promised to respect the EU referendum result, pledged to end Free Movement in its manifesto, and supported a full, clean Brexit from the bloc’s Single Market and Customs Union after the 2017 election, but (surprise surprise) now says supporting the bill would “let government ministers grab powers from parliament to slash people’s rights at work and reduce protection for consumers and the environment”, The Guardian reports.

An explosion of the myth that Jeremy Corbyn is a man who sticks by his principles, and confirmation that the Labour Party’s Europhile majority is back in control.
Why did voters trust Labour on Brexit?

[Zacs-Master]

Who says they did?

[jim360]

What betrayal? The move to trigger Article 50 was voted in by most Labour MPs, in the EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Act. This legislation is about implementation, and if it's rubbish, then it's the responsibility of HM Opposition to say so and to vote against it.

The principal complaint is that the current Bill provides too much power to the Executive over Parliament. I can't comment on how true this is or not, but it would seem to me that if it did so then it would be rather a slap in the face of the "sovereignty of parliament" argument in favour of leaving.

[ToraToraTora]

this is simply preparatory work for brexit, if it does not pass we will still be out in June 2019, all be it with some holes in the legislature.

[ichkeria]

I think most people who voted labour were not even supporters of Brexit, which oddly perhaps wasn't a massive issue at the election. I'm not sure most people are as worked up about it, either way, as we are

[cassa333]

Hmm. What happens in March 2019 when we slip out of the EU and this bit of legislation is still being bickered about?

Do we still leave? Do we have to stay in until our idiot MPs pull their collective fingers out of each other's back sides or what?

[Baldric]

The Labour Party, for a True Democracy.

[ToraToraTora]

Cassa, there is no way not to leave.

[cassa333]

So we leave with or without this legislation or its equivalent?

[youngmafbog]

Yup.

[ToraToraTora]

this is the 5th column doing their best to make it not work so they can say na na nana na.

[youngmafbog]

Of course they will do that TTT, especially since they have Bliar and Mandy behind them now.

[ToraToraTora]

really? the dynamic duo? what could go wrong?

[youngmafbog]

Shortage of coathangers given the pair of them have wedged them in their respective gobs?

[jourdain2]

Don't they understand that the more they bicker and slow things down, the more likely 'no deal' becomes? (I think it'll be that anyway, for what it's worth.) These powers can be legislated to be limited in time and applicable solely to the Brexit negotiations. It is a genuinely huge betrayal of millions of voters.

My main worry is that a Govt. defeat could see an unholy coalition of Lab., Lib., Greens, SNP in power. Unthinkable. An equivalent 3-line whip by the Tories is now essential.

[jim360]

The thing is that forcing through something for its own sake could be equally dangerous. It's vital and important that the government isn't just given carte blanche to do whatever the hell it likes. That wasn't what Brexit was about, for anyone.

As it is this is only the second reading that's being voted on, so passing still gives plenty of time for necessary amendments and scrutiny, but I don't think it makes any sense to advocate a "We must do something about Brexit; This does something about Brexit; therefore we must do this" fallacious approach to implementing Brexit.

[EDDIE51]

Labour does respect the referendum result. Have you actually read the link?
It is about not supporting the bill in its present form which would allow government ministers to grab a lot more power without consulting parliment ! Rather like Mrs May tried to do at first before she was forced to consult parliment by the appeal court and then the supreme court.

[Garaman]

I would argue with Jim, and say that giving the Government carte blanche to get us out of the EU in the best way it thinks possible is exactly what Brexit was about for some. Not me I hasten to add.

[Kromovaracun]

Regardless of whether you support Brexit or not, it seems that you must either support the way this government is choosing to do it or else you are a fifth columnist traitor who is just out to sabotage the country.

Even if you're the opposition and it's your job.

One of the main complaints I've always had about Corbyn's Labour (and also Miliband's before him) is that it does not seem to get the whole "opposing" part of being the Opposition. I'm glad that they are actually doing their job.

This talk of fifth columnists and betrayal and treason and "defying democracy" stuff is getting very tiresome. I hope it goes down with this vicious and authoritarian crapshoot of a government.