Face of Nation : Tom Watson has emerged as one of the most vocal supporters of a second Brexit referendum despite his party refusing to adopt a new vote as official policy. The Labour Party has been tiptoeing around plans for a new vote, with members alternatively warning about the risks of either agreeing to a new vote or not agreeing to one. But while appearing on ITV Peston to make the case for a fresh vote on the final deal struck with the European Union, Mr Watson had viewers mocking him on social media: “I’m loving the interview with Tom Watson. He’s a walking advert for leaving Labour and joining the Brexit party. Good god, how can anyone watching politics and polls at the moment get it so wrong?”
Another Twitter user wrote: “I like Tom Watson. He is totally out of touch with millions of northern Labour voters. Labour is losing touch with their northern leave base and pandering to the London centric view. Labour is at war and voters will go to the Brexit party.”
A third social media user blasted Mr Watson for his allegedly “undemocratic” behaviour: “Undemocratic Watson, he should resign not being prepared to implement the 2016 LEAVE yes LEAVE vote.”
The Labour Party has showcased uncertainty on their Brexit strategy, with key figures in the opposition either promoting plans for a new referendum or committing to deliver Britain out of the European Union.
Presenter Robert Peston also suggested Labour may see voters turn their back on them to back a potential hard Brexit alliance between Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage.
Tom Watson has emerged as one of the most vocal supporters of a second Brexit referendum despite his party refusing to adopt a new vote as official policy. The Labour Party has been tiptoeing around plans for a new vote, with members alternatively warning about the risks of either agreeing to a new vote or not agreeing to one. But while appearing on ITV Peston to make the case for a fresh vote on the final deal struck with the European Union, Mr Watson had viewers mocking him on social media: “I’m loving the interview with Tom Watson. He’s a walking advert for leaving Labour and joining the Brexit party. Good god, how can anyone watching politics and polls at the moment get it so wrong?”
Another Twitter user wrote: “I like Tom Watson. He is totally out of touch with millions of northern Labour voters. Labour is losing touch with their northern leave base and pandering to the London centric view. Labour is at war and voters will go to the Brexit party.”
A third social media user blasted Mr Watson for his allegedly “undemocratic” behaviour: “Undemocratic Watson, he should resign not being prepared to implement the 2016 LEAVE yes LEAVE vote.”
The Labour Party has showcased uncertainty on their Brexit strategy, with key figures in the opposition either promoting plans for a new referendum or committing to deliver Britain out of the European Union.
Presenter Robert Peston also suggested Labour may see voters turn their back on them to back a potential hard Brexit alliance between Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage.
Mr Peston said: “There is a scenario some of your colleagues are really frightened about, which basically says you’ve left it too late to persuade some of your core voters to come to a remain position.
“If Boris Johnson does a deal with Nigel Farage and essentially the Brexit Party a free run in your constituencies, you might see a hard Brexit alliance between a Boris Johnson Tory Party and Nigel Farage winning a majority.”
During an embattled party meeting on Wednesday, leader Jeremy Corbyn said it is “now right” to support calls on “any” Brexit deal but his failure to wholeheartedly embrace plans for a new vote is set to disappoint the pro-Remain fringe of the party.
The decision comes as 26 Labour MP who voted for Brexit and represent constituencies that also voted the same warned their leader supporting calls for a new referendum would be “toxic” to the bedrock of the party’s supporters.
The MPs signed a letter urging Mr Corbyn to “put the national interest first” and back a deal before October 31, warning a no-deal outcome would “alienate” many who supported the party at the last general election.
The letter follows poor results for the party in the European and local elections, and a narrow victory in the Peterborough by-election, which is being investigated by police in Cambridge over five allegations of voter fraud.
The MPs – including Burnley’s Julie Cooper, Don Valley’s Caroline Flinn and Rotheram’s Sarah Champion – said: “A commitment to a second referendum would be toxic to our bedrock Labour voters, driving a wedge between them and our party, jeopardising our role as a party of the whole nation, and giving the populist right an even greater platform in our heartlands.
“Labour has a vital role to play fighting for a Brexit for the many, not the few. But this is a battle best fought in stage two, after the UK has left.
“Rejecting any Brexit in the hope of securing a perfect deal risks the worst outcome – a no-deal Brexit. This would further alienate many who backed Labour in 2017
“We urge the party to put the national interest first, to back a deal before October 31.”
