Hillary Benn: Some Labour Voters Might Vote For Another Party Because Of Brexit Stance
23 September 2019, 17:39 | Updated: 23 September 2019, 17:41
The Labour position is to secure a Leave deal with the EU within three months and then hold a referendum on that within six months.
Hilary Benn told Shelagh Fogarty that Labour's policy has "moved on significantly since last year".
A confirmatory referendum, he said, "is now our policy in all circumstances".
On what position the Labour party going to take in such a referendum, Benn said: "It's a party that believes in Remain and that's what we'll campaign for."
Emily Thornberry, Dianne Abbot and Sadiq Khan and a "whole load of MPs", he said, would campaign for Remain.
He also added: "Jeremy strongly supports a confirmatory referendum."
The problem, he said, is he doesn't know if the Labour Brexit policy will work on the doorstep.
It might look like, Benn said, "we haven't made up our minds yet".
Shelagh responded that it's a reality that unions, like Unison, simply believe that a muddled or "mixed policy" is an election loser.
Benn admitted: "I think it would create difficulties."
He thens aid: "I think the risk is that some people who might otherwise vote Labour may vote for another party."
He fear some people could vote for another party, instead of Labour, adding: "I really don't want to end up with Boris winning an election in those circumstances."
