EU referendum: It’s ‘crystal clear’ that Labour will decide result, says Sadiq Khan
The London Mayor believes the party could end up regretting it had not done enough to secure Britain’s continued EU membership
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Your support makes all the difference.Labour has a “monumental and historic responsibility” to ensure Britain votes to remain in the European Union, Sadiq Khan will say, warning that the party must send a “crystal clear” message that it backs Remain.
In a plea to party supporters, the London Mayor will warn that Labour could end up regretting that it had not done enough to secure Britain’s continued EU membership.
Appearing alongside Alan Johnson, chair of the Labour In For Britain campaign, and senior party figures Yvette Cooper and Harriet Harman at a rally in London, Mr Khan will say that the Conservatives are too divided to deliver a victory for Remain, and that the decision “now falls to us”. The intervention will be seen as an implicit criticism of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has faced questions over his enthusiasm for Britain’s continued EU membership.
However, Mr Khan will say that everyone in Labour has a responsibility to galvanise voters, while Mr Johnson will urge all 380,000 Labour members to persuade three people to vote Remain between now and 23 June.
“Jeremy, Harriet, Alan, Yvette, the whole shadow Cabinet, and every Labour MP, councillor, member and supporter in Britain – the responsibility is ours,” Mr Khan is expected to say. “We don’t want to look back in two weeks’ time and think – did we do enough?” He will add: “We in the Labour party now have a monumental and historic responsibility on our shoulders – to keep Britain in the European Union.”
Before becoming Labour leader Mr Corbyn had been a frequent critic of the EU. He has since backed a Remain vote, saying there is an “overwhelming case” for staying in, but his speeches on the issue have focused on a critique of the Conservative party and he has faced allegations that his failure to deliver an unqualified endorsement for the EU has contributed to large numbers of Labour supporters expressing uncertainty about the party’s stance.
A leaked Remain campaign memo last month indicated that only half of Labour voters knew the party was backing Remain. Mr Corbyn will, however, step up his own campaigning with a live TV appearance on Sky News just three days before the vote, in which he will face a studio audience made up of “a representative selection of young people”.
The EU referendum debate has so far been characterised by bias, distortion and exaggeration. So until 23 June we we’re running a series of question and answer features that explain the most important issues in a detailed, dispassionate way to help inform your decision.
What is Brexit and why are we having an EU referendum?
Will we gain or lose rights by leaving the European Union?
What will happen to immigration if there's Brexit?
Will Brexit make the UK more or less safe?
Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws?
Will leaving the EU save taxpayers money and mean more money for the NHS?
What will Brexit do to UK trade?
How Brexit will affect British tourism
What will Brexit mean for British tourists booking holidays in the EU?
Will Brexit help or damage the environment?
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