A Labour supporting pro-Brexit group has claimed the party could deny the Conservatives a majority at the next election if it is quick to adopt a “clean” Brexit policy.
However, with the Conservatives in possession of a commanding poll lead, the group admits that depriving the Conservatives of victory will be an uphill battle.
In a report seen by Breitbart London, Labour Leave suggest that 43 per cent of Conservative and 50 per cent of UK Independence Party voters would consider “switching back to Labour” were the party to adopt a “clean Brexit” policy.
According to the group’s analysis, if the party can take 40 per cent of the votes which went to UKIP in 2015 and 15 per cent of Conservative votes, the strategy would cost the Conservatives 41 seats and hand both Labour and the Liberal Democrats 21 seats apiece.
The authors admit that adopting a pro-Brexit stance would lose some votes to the Liberal Democrats, costing the party a predicted two seats. But overall they believe it would prevent the Conservatives from forming a majority Government.
“Labour must pursue clarity and pick a side,” the report states.
“Although the party clearly is a broad church of opinions and ideas, it can no longer be seen as neither For nor Against. In or Out must be prescriptive by nature and not just half hearted, unsubstantiated threats and incoherent policy positions. Labour must embrace a clean Brexit and lead the way in building a more just and socially equal society in a post-Brexit Britain.”
The strategy is, the authors admit, a long shot. Current polls show the Conservatives command substantial support across the country. A YouGov poll released on Thursday put the party on 48 per cent, double the Labour Party’s 24 per cent, whilst the Liberal Democrats and UKIP trailed on 12 and 10 per cent respectively.
Regardless, the party is unlikely to pay the report much heed. On Friday, Labour MEP for London, Seb Dance, accused Labour Leave of being a “an unofficial, pro-Brexit ginger group”, of donating thousands of pounds to the UK Independence Party, and of receiving funds from Conservative donors.
Dance suggested the group was set up to blur Labour’s stance on Brexit, pointing out that the majority of Labour MPs backed Remain in the referendum. However, 63 per cent of Labour MPs represent constituencies which voted Leave in the EU Referendum, putting them at odds with their electorate.
Analysis by The Telegraph shows the Brexit issue, combined with strong polling for the Conservatives against a weakened Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn, could hand the Conservatives 58 seats currently held by Labour, mostly in the north of England and the Midlands. Some London seats are also vulnerable.