Behaviour of campaign for so-called “people’s vote” seems to suggest they’re not that keen on actually having one

The so-called “People’s Vote” (PV) campaign for a further EU referendum has a curious record – of not wanting a new referendum, whenever it looks like the rubber might actually hit the road and put one up for an actual debate and vote in Parliament.

‘Tinge’ group MP Sarah Wollaston tabled an amendment to today’s motion for Brexit to be delayed in order to create time for a new referendum – and it was accepted onto the agenda by Speaker John Bercow.

But former Blair spin doctor and PV mouthpiece Alastair Campbell quickly poured cold water on the idea, claiming it was not ‘wrong to press’ for a PV:

This is not the first time such nonsense has taken place. At the end of January, Jeremy Corbyn personally tabled an amendment to put a Commons debate and vote on a new referendum firmly on the parliamentary agenda.

It was defeated – because supposedly pro-PV MPs, including Tinge-groupers who later left their parties claiming they were driven by a desire to stop Brexit, voted against Corbyn’s amendment.

Some of those same MPs have this week attacked Corbyn for not giving enough support to a new referendum – but at the moment he’s the only parliamentary figure who has actually tried to put one up for debate and possible action.

SKWAWKBOX comment:

Seems it’s never quite the right time to actually go for a PV – but it’s always the right time to attack Corbyn for not being supportive enough of one.



This centrist flip-flopping – making huge noise about a so-called PV but then blocking one every time it starts to look like it might actually be discussed – has a few possible interpretations. None of them say anything positive about the centrists in question.



Either they know there is no significant support among MPs for one and don’t want their posturing to be exposed – or they’re not actually that bothered about the issue, but find it a handy cudgel to try to use against Jeremy Corbyn.



Or both, of course. There’s always the possibility of both and they’re by no means mutually exclusive.

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