Two things to address directly today. I speak as a Remainer:
Warning-long!
1. Corbyn. Yes, it is very stupid to even begin to mention removing him. If anyone goes down that route, apart from being one of the most arrogant, self-centred genuinely stupid things to do, you will never usher in change. You will allow the Movement to collapse. Yes, you. Not Corbyn. YOU! These policies we now have are ONLY because of him. The likes of Blair, Campbell, Mandelson, James O’Brien and the other war-supporting, Pro-austerity, Pro Privatisation (O’Brien voted Lib Dem before anyone tries to defend that disingenuous hypocrite) People’s Vote hierarchy are not your friends.
They’ll stab you in the back ASAP. In fact, they already have a plan in place. You don’t just need the policies, you need someone willing to sacrifice everything at all costs to make sure The Establishment don’t break the resistance and return to type. Name one other person capable of putting up with failed assassination attempts, being punched in the head, being lied about more than anyone else, daily death threats etc?! FOR US. Not him. Us!
I did not join Labour for anything to do with the EU. I am not selfish enough to think because I cannot get my own way, i’ll just say “f**k 4 million kids in poverty, f**k the homeless, f**k the people using food banks etc”. THAT is selfish. That is YOUR choice. No one else’s. YOURS. This applies to fellow Remainers and Leavers if Labour push for a 2nd Ref & Remain. Don’t be that blinded by YOUR own ego that you are incapable of the humility of accepting the views of others & trying to be adult enough to bring people together. ALSO REMEMBER THAT LABOUR WHIPPED TWICE FOR 2ND REF IN PARLIAMENT. STOP PRETENDING THEY DIDN’T. HIS LATEST STATEMENT ALSO STATES IT HAS TO NOW BE A GE OR 2ND VOTE! Stop allowing Corbyn to be used by the Blairites to bring down OUR MOVEMENT.
“The future will, of course, be put to a public vote… What we’ve done is try to bring people together.” Following Labour’s poor performance in the EU elections, Jeremy Corbyn says that any Brexit deal “has to be put to a public vote”.
Posted by Channel 4 News on Monday, 27 May 2019
Of course long term it is about The Movement and not one man. But he is the only one with both the key to the door & the strength to hold it open. This is pragmatism. Shouting I am right you are wrong is selfish indulgence we cannot afford. So, you know, wind your neck in. Both Remainers & Leavers that applies to. Finally, I’ll remind all WHY you joined Thus Movement-trust earned with years of being correct re Corbyn. Correct when almost all his critics now were very, very wrong. Correct when it was not remotely fashionable to make a stand. Never. Ever. Forget. This. It’s a huge part of why we are all so passionate now.
2. The EU Ref. As I state, I am Remain. I am also, hopefully, not selfish enough to want to ignore the first Ref. As the new CONservative leader and, thus, PM, is likely to be full-on No Deal, we obviously cannot accept that. No one voted for that. Blame those who lied to you, not Remainers, if Brexit is not what you wanted. No one wrote it down. I have many friends who voted Leave for VERY different reasons. So while Remainers should not ignore the last vote, Leavers can only blame those who offered no concrete proof of what ‘Leave’ meant. If we assume it is No Deal or a very right wing anti-the majority deal (THE TORIES REFUSE TO REMOVE THE NHS FROM FUTURE TRADE DEALS TBC!), then I would hope as I have tried to be a pragmatic Remainer, Labour Leavers would also realise we have to push against this, and if that means Remain and being in government, then do be it. Either way, that’s not Corbyn’s fault!
Remainers-please do not dismiss this now, collectively we did last time and it cost us. If we go fir a 2nd Ref and Remain, WHAT IS THE CLEAR PLAN? A) Facts and stats alone do not win elections. Being arrogant & thinking people will now agree because they have seen XYZ means we’ll lose again. So, HOW is this different-WHY should Leavers now vote Remain? Treating a Leavers like stupid, racist, gullible people will get the result we would deserve-defeat. Again.
How do we stop TIG/TINGE/Change UK, Blair, Campbell, Mandleson, O’Brien, the majority of Guardian journalists (not the Lefties) ‘leading’ any campaign? These people are genuinely toxic, genuinely deluded re their egos and will lose us two votes for every one campaigning would gain. The media will frame them as defacto leaders, like it or not. Their egos will not allow them to go away for a few months. They are literally incapable of winning over Leavers or ANY humility. Don’t bury your heads in the sand here-think about this. They will cost us. If they genuinely did think Remain was best for the country, then they must stay out of the mainstream media. This is essential.
C) HOW can we stop this being even more angry, violent and divisive? HOW do you counter the argument that we cannot have a 3rd Ref if we won a 2nd Ref? After all, Remainers haven’t listened, so why should Leavers if we won? Please do not say “people know more now”. Yes, but I refer you back to point A) above. That logic will not work.
D) HOW will we stitch the country back together? This is more important than anything. Whatever happens, people will be furious. Potential riots. Blaming Corbyn, AGAIN!!!, is not going to be the answer (whatever happens).
If my fellow Remainers cannot clearly answer A-D, then don’t insult my intelligence, and that of Leavers, before you can answer. Any 2nd Ref & Remain campaign is doomed before it starts if you dismiss these points and bury your head in the sand. If you are serious about a 2nd Ref, prove it. Prove how & why this time we would win. Please do not be arrogant enough to think you thinking you are correct is enough. It isn’t. Listen to pragmatic Leavers, and find answers to their concerns rather than dictate to & at them.
Please, I genuinely want people to understand that a Corbyn-led government is WAY more important than the two tribes, incredibly unhealthy and soul-sapping world being created before our very eyes. We have to unite in order to be the base Corbyn and the team will need in the face of unprecedented attacks. I speak to myself as well as any one else here: calm down, step back, wind your neck in, think & listen to those you disagree with. Let us have a collective plan that focuses around Corbyn. Don’t be stupid, and don’t f**k it up due to being tribal. Please. For all our sakes.
Solidarity
Adam Samuels
