Labour conference: Brexit decision 'mistake for UK's future'
- Published
A senior Welsh Labour minister says a conference decision to stay neutral while negotiating a new Brexit deal is a "mistake for the future of the country".
Vaughan Gething reacted after Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's policy was supported by party members on Monday.
Delegates voted down a motion for the party to back Remain in a future referendum.
One Labour AM feared the party has lost the next election.
But Mick Antoniw said Remainers would only get a further referendum on staying in the EU if they vote for Labour.
On Monday Labour members in Brighton endorsed Mr Corbyn's stance to stay neutral while negotiating a new deal.
It would then hold a referendum within six months, and the party would decide which side to back ahead of that at a special conference.
It is at odds with Welsh Labour's position, which is in favour of campaigning for remain at a further referendum.
At the weekend Welsh Brexit minister Jeremy Miles said the Welsh Government would not back any Brexit deal negotiated by Jeremy Corbyn if he were prime minister.
Speaking after the vote on Monday, he denied any divergence between the UK and Welsh parties was dishonest.
"When people ask Welsh Labour candidates and campaigners on the doorstep across Wales what the policy of the Welsh Labour party is, they will be able to say very clearly that our advice to people in Wales - as it was in 2016 - is that we hope they will cast their vote in favour of remaining," he said.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
In a tweet Mr Gething said the conference decision "is in my view a mistake for UK labour and worse still a mistake for the future of the country".
"The prospects for the UK Labour government I believe people across the UK need just got much bleaker. Welsh Labour is still committed to remain in all cases."
The pro-Remain health minister was joined in criticising the vote by Alun Davies, Blaenau Gwent AM, who said: "I suspect that in the last hour UK Labour has lost the next general election."
The votes at conference were held through a show of hands, amid demands from the floor of the venue for a card vote.
But there was confusion as the votes were called, as the chair of the proceedings faced calls for a recount.
Owen Smith, Labour MP for Pontypridd, called it "shameful" and a "stitch-up" without a proper vote.
"A disastrous decision taken at conference today - for our party and our country," he said.
Mr Antoniw, who represents Welsh Labour on the party's ruling body, said he would prefer a position nearer the Welsh party.
But he told BBC Wales: "If people want a second referendum, if they want the opportunity to vote remain again, it is only going to happen if there is a Labour government."
- Published23 September 2019
