The Brexit vote of 2016 was a message to the establishment from ordinary, decent British people who had simply had enough. They were tired of being ignored, taken for granted and disrespected by a political class willing to use them for its own political gain. Over the weekend, we saw two Labour leadership contenders once again bowing down at the altar of the European project.
One was former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who spent the week insisting he could secure the nominations needed to become leader, only to fall embarrassingly short. And then there was Manchester mayor and expected candidate in the Makerfield by-election, Andy Burnham, who confirmed he wants to rejoin the EU in future… but said he won’t be advocating for it in the upcoming by-election.
For months, it has been clear that Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been attempting to sleepwalk us back towards the European institutions. But this weekend provided the clearest signal yet that Labour is preparing to completely betray Brexit voters.
The upcoming contest in Makerfield will become a flashpoint in that battle. It is increasingly obvious that Burnham wants to say one thing to Labour voters in the constituency, while telling Labour MPs something entirely different as he positions himself for power. Voters are not fools and they deserve honesty from open-borders Burnham.
My party will make sure the people of Makerfield know exactly where Burnham stands. This is a constituency where 65% of people voted to Leave and where Reform UK secured 50% in the local elections less than two weeks ago. People there understand what is at stake.
Yet Labour figures still behave as though the result can be gradually diluted, softened or quietly reversed without consequence.
Burnham’s position raises serious questions. At a time when millions of voters are demanding control of our borders, he continues to advocate rejoining a European project built around the free movement of 500 million people.
Well, good luck selling that message on the doorsteps. The political establishment ignored the public once before, when 17.4 million people voted Leave in 2016 - the biggest vote in British history. If Labour continues down this path, it risks being taught the same lesson all over again.
One was former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who spent the week insisting he could secure the nominations needed to become leader, only to fall embarrassingly short. And then there was Manchester mayor and expected candidate in the Makerfield by-election, Andy Burnham, who confirmed he wants to rejoin the EU in future… but said he won’t be advocating for it in the upcoming by-election.
For months, it has been clear that Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been attempting to sleepwalk us back towards the European institutions. But this weekend provided the clearest signal yet that Labour is preparing to completely betray Brexit voters.
The upcoming contest in Makerfield will become a flashpoint in that battle. It is increasingly obvious that Burnham wants to say one thing to Labour voters in the constituency, while telling Labour MPs something entirely different as he positions himself for power. Voters are not fools and they deserve honesty from open-borders Burnham.
My party will make sure the people of Makerfield know exactly where Burnham stands. This is a constituency where 65% of people voted to Leave and where Reform UK secured 50% in the local elections less than two weeks ago. People there understand what is at stake.
Yet Labour figures still behave as though the result can be gradually diluted, softened or quietly reversed without consequence.
Burnham’s position raises serious questions. At a time when millions of voters are demanding control of our borders, he continues to advocate rejoining a European project built around the free movement of 500 million people.
Well, good luck selling that message on the doorsteps. The political establishment ignored the public once before, when 17.4 million people voted Leave in 2016 - the biggest vote in British history. If Labour continues down this path, it risks being taught the same lesson all over again.
(This is a slightly edited version of an article published in the Daily Express on 18th May.)
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Picture by: European Committee of the Regions.
