Election 2019: Corbyn’s Neutrality

Jeremy Corbyn is entirely right to adopt a neutral position in a Brexit referendum, if he becomes prime minister. Harold Wilson did just that in 1974. His cabinet split, as did the country, but after the result everyone was united behind the outcome to accept the revised terms of membership and remain in what was then the  EEC.

In 2016 Cameron led the remain campaign and felt compelled to resign when he lost. If he had remained neutral, he could and would have implemented the decision, beginning by sending his Article 50 letter as he promised to do, the day after the results were declared. It is very likely that the whole thing would have been handled under the royal prerogative without the Supreme Court challenge.

Instead we have suffered the worst breakdown in governance in our democratic peace time history, splitting communities, families, political parties and the whole nation, which threatens the Union and promises years of continuing uncertainty.We are now on our third prime minister without having completed Brexit and could be heading for a fourth. Brexit, under the control of the Tory party, who instigated the whole ill starred and badly prepared venture has been a shambles. Corbyn is now decried by them for ‘sitting on the fence’ and not ‘leading’ from the front.

We have had far too much hot headed leadership. What we now need is wise governance. Corbyn must stand his ground. I am sure he will.