Agenda item

8.1

RESOLVED: On the motion of Councillor Peter Rippon and seconded by Councillor Michelle Cook, that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 5.5 (as revised earlier at this meeting), the termination of the meeting (at 8.00 p.m.) be delayed by a period of time sufficient to enable the mover and seconder of item 8 on the agenda (Notice of Motion Regarding the Labour Party’s Position on Brexit) to speak to that Motion.

8.2

It was moved by Councillor Jack Clarkson, and seconded by Councillor Keith Davis, that this Council:-

(a)       (i) believes that the Labour Party, by changing its stance to adopt a soft "Brexit" as their party policy, will undermine "Brexit" talks, (ii) notes that the Labour Party now intends to keep Britain in the Single Market and continue with 'open door' EU immigration for at least four more years, which they claim is for an 'interim' period only, (iii) believes that this change of policy is rowing back on their previous Brexit position, especially after the Leader, the Rt. Hon. Jeremy Corbyn MP, stated that the UK had to leave the Single Market to fulfil the Brexit vote and (iv) further believes that many Labour voters will feel betrayed by the Party, due to it changing its stance on Brexit;

(b)       is concerned that Jeremy Corbyn has admitted that he has no idea as to how long the "interim' phase would last, meaning a risk that freedom of movement would carry on, contributions to the EU's budgets would continue, and EU judges’ involvement in the UK would remain;

(c)        is appalled that the Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, the Rt. Hon. Sir Keir Starmer, MP, has suggested that the Labour Party would leave the door open for staying in the Single Market, which this Council believes is in direct conflict with how the people of this country voted to leave the European Union;

(d)       believes that, in respecting the referendum result, the Labour Party adopted a Euro-sceptic position to leave the Single Market and the Customs Union, and further believes that this reversal and change in policy will disgust many of the Party’s members; and

(e)       further believes that (i) the Labour Party has no vision whatsoever as to what Britain should look like outside the European Union, and whether they should leave or remain in the Single Market and (ii) that many of the Party's own MPs are mystified as to the Party’s position, with continued internal wrangling and disagreements between Jeremy Corbyn and its grass roots members, which shows to the electorate that the Labour Party say one thing and then do another.

8.3

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Ben Curran, and formally seconded by Councillor Jackie Drayton, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council” and the addition of the following words:-

(a)       believes that, in a bid to be relevant again, UKIP are spreading misinformation about Labour’s position on withdrawal from the EU;

(b)       notes that the Labour Party has stated that they will fight for a Brexit deal that protects jobs, the economy and rights and that, in order to avoid a ‘cliff-edge’ for the economy as we leave the EU, Labour would seek a time-limited transitional deal on the same basic terms we currently enjoy;

(c)        notes that this means Labour are seeking to remain in a customs union with the EU and within the Single Market during a strictly limited transitional period; meaning the UK would abide by the common rules of both for a temporary period;

(d)       believes that this is a decision taken in the national interest and it would provide much needed certainty for British businesses and consumers; recognising that it is highly unlikely that bespoke transitional arrangements can be negotiated and established by March 2019 as the Government contend;

(e)       believes that, despite UKIP scaremongering to the counter, Labour recognise that a transitional period must be time-limited and that it cannot become an indefinite arrangement; instead acting as an essential bridge toward a lasting new progressive partnership with the EU based on our shared values and history;

(f)        believes that the final Brexit deal must retain the benefits of the Customs Union and the Single Market and that how this is ultimately achieved is secondary to outcome - remaining within a customs union and seeking a changed Single Market relationship are possible end destinations for Labour, but this must be part of negotiations;

(g)       contends that transitional arrangements will not frustrate or reverse the process of leaving the EU but rather this is a sensible and responsible way to protect jobs and the economy and ensure that Britain and the EU reach a mutually beneficial final deal;

(h)       believes that additional time is needed to resolve the incredibly complex question of the Northern Ireland border and that the Northern Ireland Peace Process, above all else, must be ensured; and

(i)         believes that Labour’s position is a strong counter to the fanciful arguments by the Government and UKIP that bespoke transitional arrangements can be negotiated, agreed and established in the next 18 months; rather, in the words of the General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress, Frances O’Grady, “Labour are clearly the grown-ups in the room”; and that the Conservative and UKIP ideologically blinkered approaches are reckless in the extreme.

8.4

It was then formally moved by Councillor Adam Hanrahan, and formally seconded by Councillor Colin Ross, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (a) to (d), the addition of new paragraphs (a) to (f) as follows, and the re-lettering of original paragraph (e) as a new paragraph (g):-

(a)       notes the ongoing creative ambiguity of Labour's policy on Brexit, whereby a transitional period to a hard Brexit is being spun as a soft Brexit;

(b)       believes that whatever clear policy, if any, Labour eventually adopts on Brexit, will betray a great many voters, on one side or the other, taken in by creative ambiguity;

(c)        notes that Vote Leave did not campaign to leave the Single Market, rather that it promoted Switzerland and Iceland as having, as European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members, a desirable alternative to EU membership;

(d)       notes that Single Market membership was not on the ballot paper in June 2016, and believes that many leave voters, voted in the belief that it would be possible to remain in the Single Market, simply because this would be in the interests of the UK and of the EU;

(e)       condemns what this Council believes is the Orwellian reinterpretation of the 2016 vote by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Theresa May MP, Nigel Farage MEP and the Leader of the Labour Party, the Rt. Hon. Jeremy Corbyn MP, in defiance of the national interest, to exclude remaining a member of the Single Market;

(f)        welcomes any resistance to Jeremy Corbyn within the Labour Party;

8.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Ben Curran was put to the vote and carried.

8.6

The amendment moved by Councillor Adam Hanrahan was then put to the vote and negatived.

8.7

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)       believes that, in a bid to be relevant again, UKIP are spreading misinformation about Labour’s position on withdrawal from the EU;

(b)       notes that the Labour Party has stated that they will fight for a Brexit deal that protects jobs, the economy and rights and that, in order to avoid a ‘cliff-edge’ for the economy as we leave the EU, Labour would seek a time-limited transitional deal on the same basic terms we currently enjoy;

(c)        notes that this means Labour are seeking to remain in a customs union with the EU and within the Single Market during a strictly limited transitional period; meaning the UK would abide by the common rules of both for a temporary period;

(d)       believes that this is a decision taken in the national interest and it would provide much needed certainty for British businesses and consumers; recognising that it is highly unlikely that bespoke transitional arrangements can be negotiated and established by March 2019 as the Government contend;

(e)       believes that, despite UKIP scaremongering to the counter, Labour recognise that a transitional period must be time-limited and that it cannot become an indefinite arrangement; instead acting as an essential bridge toward a lasting new progressive partnership with the EU based on our shared values and history;

(f)        believes that the final Brexit deal must retain the benefits of the Customs Union and the Single Market and that how this is ultimately achieved is secondary to outcome - remaining within a customs union and seeking a changed Single Market relationship are possible end destinations for Labour, but this must be part of negotiations;

(g)       contends that transitional arrangements will not frustrate or reverse the process of leaving the EU but rather this is a sensible and responsible way to protect jobs and the economy and ensure that Britain and the EU reach a mutually beneficial final deal;

(h)       believes that additional time is needed to resolve the incredibly complex question of the Northern Ireland border and that the Northern Ireland Peace Process, above all else, must be ensured; and

(i)         believes that Labour’s position is a strong counter to the fanciful arguments by the Government and UKIP that bespoke transitional arrangements can be negotiated, agreed and established in the next 18 months; rather, in the words of the General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress, Frances O’Grady, “Labour are clearly the grown-ups in the room”; and that the Conservative and UKIP ideologically blinkered approaches are reckless in the extreme.