Confession of a remainer

Lianne Powell Labour Party member and activist gives her take on Brexit. 

Lianne Powell is an admin on one of the UK largest Jeremy Corbyn supporting Labour Party forums with over 63 thousand members. Her everyday experience both online and off gives her a unique point of view. Everyday she sees the battles and arguments surrounding the Brexit debate. Her efforts in trying to moderate sometimes highly charged emotional debate leads to a more nuanced opinion.

While trying to moderate between the two camps Lianne expresses her own conclusion…

So.. I’ve been thinking about writing this for a while and I felt that now was as good a time as any. So here goes.

I voted and campaigned for remain. I did this on a basis of remain and reform because I listened to Jeremy Corbyn and really believed at the time that the EU could be changed from within. Since the referendum I have always said that I respect the result. I accept that there were lies in the campaigns but seriously has there ever been an honest election? I have done a lot of soul searching and tons of research since the referendum and I tried to come at it from a neutral standpoint. This has allowed me to see both sides of the argument with fresh eyes.

I won’t class myself as a Leaver because I voted remain but I am sympathetic towards the reasons people voted leave. If those issues had been sorted then there would have been no need for Brexit. Those in the most deprived areas of our country that have been ignored and had their communities stripped bare by this barbaric government deserve to be heard. Their protest vote should not be ignored as they have been for so long.

No I don’t expect hard core remainers to understand my position but if more did we wouldn’t be in this mess. Our country is divided, yes. But that division is being made worse by the never ending backwards looking and the wanting to over turn what was the biggest vote in my lifetime. Many young people voted for the first time. Are you really willing to let their trust in voting system and our democracy be lost forever? What kind of example does it set for all future elections if the result is simply not implemented and we are told:

“do it again, we didn’t like that result”

So where do I stand on a 2nd referendum? Well, people’s vote campaign is a sham. As proven when the TIG broke away and suddenly don’t care about it anymore. It was designed to undermine Jeremy and that’s it. Many honest people were taken in by it and the march was impressive but it was never about the people. I’m totally in favour of a vote on the final deal or deals but I strongly believe remain should not be on that ballot.

Where we are at now.. I think a general election is the only possible answer to this whole mess. With Bercow making sure parliament is running correctly and stamping out May’s bullying and JC playing his game of chess perfectly, she has nowhere else to go. If she delivers her Brexit (by some miracle) she’s finished, if she doesn’t deliver Brexit, she’s finished. If she leads us down the path of no deal she’s also finished. So to conclude, as usual Jeremy Corbyn has played a blinder.

What do I want for the future? A Labour government with JC as prime minister delivering a Labour Brexit and a socialist manifesto.

By Lianne Powell