Inside the new Labour row over Brexit

Labour has blocked a debate on whether to have closer ties with Europe at its annual conference next week as splits in the party widen over the scope of the Brexit reset. The official reason for blocking the motion calling on the party to drop its blanket opposition to rejoining the single market, customs union or free movement of people is that it is not a “contemporary ” issue. But insiders claim this party jargon really means the issue is “too sensitive”. Shorts It comes as speculation increases over how far Andy Burnham will go in redrawing the UK’s relationship with Europe after he refused to rule out committing to rejoining the EU in the next Labour manifesto. Overtures from Europe The Government’s Brexit reset – which was on the verge of being signed by Sir Keir Starmer – is faltering amid a negotiating deadlock on a youth mobility or exchange scheme and UK demands that the UK should not be shut out of new “Made in Europe” laws. These will dictate that public contracts within the EU favour companies based in the bloc. It is designed to counter cheap Chinese products, particularly clean technology and electric vehicles. The debate was then turbocharged by former prime minister Sir Tony Blair, who called on his party to commit to rejoining within a decade. Unions earlier this month called on Labour to drop its red lines. The i Paper also reported overtures from European Parliament Brexit chief Sandro Gozi for the UK to pursue a closer deal with the EU after dropping its red lines. Meanwhile, some in the EU have suggested the UK should agree to a customs union with the bloc, raising tariffs on Chinese cars and aligning with Brussels’ trade policy, if it wants to avoid Made in Europe trade barriers hitting British industry, according to The Financial Times. However, the intensifying debate over whether Labour should seek closer EU ties has triggered a backlash elsewhere in the party. One MP in the so-called Red Wall of Leave-voting constituencies warned Burnham not to heed Tony Blair’s call to rejoin the EU. “The MP for Makerfield going into the next election saying we should rejoin the EU? His political instincts are far, far better than that,” they said. ‘Code for too sensitive’ Now some members are angry at debate at Labour conference being blocked, saying it is to stop splits going public. Pro-EU members had enough support to submit a motion calling on Labour to drop its blanket opposition to rejoining the single market, customs union or free movement of people to get a better Brexit deal and boost the economy. But this was blocked by the Conference Arrangements Committee (CAC) on the grounds that it is not “contemporary”. Insiders claimed the CAC was likely to have been directed by the leadership to block the motion, which was promoted by the Labour Movement for Europe. An MP said the decision to rule out the motion on the grounds that it was not contemporary was “code for ‘too sensitive'”. A Labour insider said: “The CAC will have been told [by the leadership] to bar motions on anything controversial”. “They won’t want conference taken up by a public fight on Europe; it wouldn’t help party comms,” the insider added. ‘Progress is slow’ David Henig, director of UK trade policy at the European Centre for Political Economy (ECIPE), said: “Having been involved in some discussions, this is certainly a live issue [in the party], certainly to remove red lines which seems the central scenario right now, with experts having told Labour folk that special deals will not be happening. “Complicating all this is the new administration has made a big ask of Made in Europe which has so far not been well received, plus few Labour folk still want to really engage with Brussels, so the debate is live but progress is slow.” It is understood that the CAC has not received an appeal against its decision to block the Brexit red lines motion. A Labour Party spokeswoman said: “The Conference Arrangements Committee (CAC) considers all contemporary motions submitted by CLPs and affiliated organisations against its published criteria. “All contemporary motions which meet these criteria are submitted to a priorities ballot at Conference which decides which motions are timetabled for debate.”