Home » UK Labour party leader delivers conference keynote focused on economic policy and Brexit
UK Labour party leader delivers conference keynote focused on economic policy and Brexit
Jeremy Corbyn will wrap up the opposition Labour Party’s annual conference with a keynote speech in Liverpool today.
Party supporters hope that Mr Corbyn will use his speech to elucidate Labour’s stance on Brexit and, specifically, whether the party will back a second referendum. So far, Labour has been ambiguous on the matter, preferring to sit back as the ruling Conservatives have become engulfed in the chaos of devising a Brexit strategy.
While Mr Corbyn’s ambiguity served Labour well in last year’s election, the party’s unwillingness to take a stance risks those gains. The conference has made it no clearer what Labour will do on the issue, with key party figures contradicting each other on the party’s position on Brexit.
For now, expect a second referendum on Brexit to vaguely remain an “option” for Labour. If any Brexit plan put forward by Prime Minister Theresa May fails to get through parliament, as is likely, expect talks of a second referendum on remaining in the EU to intensify, where Mr Corbyn and Labour will need to take a stance.
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Alex is a senior analyst in the Current Developments team with a primary focus on the Americas. He also serves as an editor on The Daily Brief.