• THE Labour Party emerged from conference more united and confident.

We can now challenge the Tories in parliament and in our communities. How different from the squabbling Tories, fighting like rats in a sack.

The key to Labour’s unity is that it now has a settled Brexit policy. After months of complex negotiations, Sir Keir Starmer led the way.

He told conference: “Our preference is clear: we want a general election that can sweep away this failed Tory government. And, conference, having swept them away we want to install a radical Labour government capable of transforming this country.

“And that’s what should happen after two years of negotiations ending in failure. But if that’s not possible, we must have other options. And, conference, that must include campaigning for a public vote.

“It is right for parliament to have the first say but if we need to break the impasse, Labour campaigning for a public vote must be an option – and nobody is ruling out ‘Remain’ as an option. That’s why I’m happy to throw our full weight behind the motion being debated this morning.”

Conference rose to its feet in thunderous applause. As Tom Watson remarked: “I thought the conference united around him.” Delegates voted overwhelmingly for the motion, which is now Labour’s agreed policy.

Labour will fight for a general election but failing that we will go all-out for a people’s vote, with Remain as an option. Sir Keir’s words were welcomed across the country.

And, in case of doubt, there is no division in the leadership. Jeremy Corbyn confirmed that what Sir Keir said had his blessing. Despite what some Tory papers reported, Corbyn said he had seen and approved the speech, as delivered, in advance.

ITV’s Robert Peston explicitly asked Corbyn whether he had known what was going to be said, since the line about Remain being an option had not been released to journalists in advance. Corbyn’s reply was unequivocal: “Speech was cleared, so, yes of course I knew.”

In his own speech Corbyn said: “if parliament votes down a Tory deal or the government fails to reach any deal at all we would press for a general election. Failing that, all options are on the table.”

It’s heartening that Labour is by no means isolated in holding out the possibility of a people’s vote. This is now the position of the wider labour movement, in line with the motion adopted by the TUC.

This is increasingly popular across the country – particularly among Labour voters. There has been a clear shift in public opinion, with the biggest movement among poorer white, working class voters.

Some 112 seats have switched from Leave to Remain majorities. Why should anyone be surprised? It is the living standards of working people that are most under pressure, with rising food prices and threats to jobs. The warnings from the car industry are chilling.

How will we get to a people’s vote? The next few months will be the most politically volatile in recent times. Peering into the political mist is hard indeed. But one fact seems clear: If parliament cannot agree on Theresa May’s plan then she has few options.

Return to Brussels to ask for a better deal (implausible); crash out of the EU with no deal (catastrophic); go to the country in a general election (unlikely, given her experience in 2017) or ask the public what direction it wants to take in a people’s vote.

If parliament cannot find a way forward, we have to trust the British people. It is the alternative every democrat should embrace.

MARTIN PLAUT
Ryland Road, NW5