Unison and Jon Lansman defy leadership line on Brexit

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Both Brexit and Green New Deal – the two most popular subjects in terms of local party motions sent to conference – have failed in ‘compositing’ (i.e. merging) and the battles will now be fought on the conference floor rather than behind closed doors. I warned that this could happen last week because on each debate neither side expressed enough willingness to compromise – though ultimately some shifts did take place.

Notably, Labour for a Green New Deal has changed its proposal from ‘zero’ to ‘net zero’ in a bid to secure more trade union support. But its deadline stays at 2030. The rival motion, backed by nine CLPs, SERA (Labour’s affiliated environment campaign) and GMB, does not include a target date. We’ll find out on Tuesday whether delegates back one or both of the proposals.

On Brexit, compositing again produced two motions, which will be debated today. You can read them both here, as well as the final version of the NEC Brexit statement. The most Remain one, moved by Tooting, says Labour will “campaign energetically for a public vote and to stay in the EU in that referendum”. The leadership-aligned one, moved by Liverpool Walton, only commits Labour to a referendum with Remain as an option. The NEC one sets out a plan for deciding how to campaign in the referendum via a one-day special conference after the election of a Labour government. Conference delegates will vote on these three, as well as less controversial motions, from 5.20pm. Remember, they could vote for one, two or three, which complicates the situation and explains why compositing efforts are made in the first place.

Whether conference forces the leadership to back Remain or not has really been up to the trade unions. And there is breaking news: Remainers have managed to peel away a big one. Unison has decided to oppose the NEC statement, support the more Remain motion and abstain on the leadership-aligned one. This is a crucial turning point. Anti-Brexit campaigners were “gearing up for a tight vote” last night, and this has just tipped the balance in their favour.

Momentum chair Jon Lansman has now tweeted his view on the Brexit row. He is not happy with the way that the NEC statement was organised, with “no meeting, no discussion, no consultation with the membership”. He also says delegates “should feel free to vote with their conscience” this afternoon. And yet Momentum’s national coordinating group is recommending against the Remain motion.

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If you’re here in Brighton, we’ve got two brilliant panel events this afternoon. Join us for ‘Labour’s next manifesto: bridging divides with radical policies‘ with Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Lisa Nandy MP and others at 1.30pm (Pavilion Room, The Grand) and ‘Do low-income voters hold the key to the next election?‘ with Dawn Butler MP, Laura Pidcock MP and others at 3.30pm (also Pavilion Room, The Grand). Then, don’t forget the most important event at conference: our karaoke (Charles Street Tap, 8 Marine Parade, BN2 1TA)! Arrive at 9pm for a DJ set by Alex Sobel MP, which will be followed by lots of bad singing from all of us.

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