Corbyn’s three-line whip on Brexit vote was “strategic error”, claims Kinnock

Jeremy Corbyn should have handed Labour MPs a free vote on Brexit rather than face a mass rebellion, Lord Kinnock has said.

The former leader and ex-European Commissioner criticised Corbyn’s handling of the article 50 votes in the Commons as “ineffectual” and called on him to focus on pushing for a fairer Brexit deal.

Kinnock said the decision to impose a three-line whip on the Brexit votes was a “strategic error”. In the end 52 Labour MPs rebelled last week when Corbyn renewed the measure while four people – Dawn Butler, Clive Lewis, Rachael Maskell and Jo Stevens – stepped down from the shadow cabinet.

Now Kinnock has said the issue of Brexit has become a bigger issue for Labour than the Tories.

When asked about Corbyn’s handling of Brexit, Kinnock told BBC Wales: “I don’t think it’s being handled actually.

“What potentially could have been a serious problem for the Conservative Party because of the deep divisions in that party over Europe… has actually turned, because of the rather ineffectual handling of the issue by the leadership of the Labour Party, into a series of difficulties for the Labour Party.

“I actually think that the Labour leader made a strategic error in not saying there should be a free vote, so that MPs could reflect the vote in the areas that they represent, and then simultaneously have focused really hard on what the conditions for our departure are to be.”

Corbyn was aware there would be a large-scale rebellion in each of the last two weeks but has insisted the party must “respect” the referendum result. He also told MPs he understood the dilemma facing those who represented constituencies which backed Remain.

Kinnock praised Corbyn’s decision to appoint Keir Starmer, the former director of public prosecutions, as shadow Brexit secretary and called on the leader to concentrate on the economic impact of Brexit and how to protect less well-off people when Britain withdraws from the EU.

Corbyn should be “making strong, salient arguments himself about the need to safeguard the wellbeing of the British people, particularly those who are economically least secure”.

“If you are a leader that what’s you’ve got to do. That’s your job,” he added.