This week, Willie Rennie gave a keynote speech to the David Hume Institute in Edinburgh. He said that all pro-Europeans must step up and called on particularly those supporters of the Labour Party who oppose Corbyn’s position to join with us to campaign against Brexit.
I know many in the Labour Party feel very frustrated by Jeremy Corbyn’s approach to Europe.
His long standing Bennite antipathy.
His lacklustre participation in the referendum.
His failure to put any real pressure on the Conservative Government.
His oscillating position on our future relationship with our neighbours.
When we look back at this time people will be astonished at the leader of the opposition.
Labour has a big responsibility.
It cannot stand by as we are made poorer, are more divided, and are rejecting our neighbours.
My warning to Labour moderates is this.
The people are running ahead of the people’s party. People want the final say on Brexit.
Jeremy Corbyn is not playing a long game on Brexit. He does not have a masterplan to swing into action at the last minute.
You will get to the last minute.
You will check your watch and he won’t be there but Brexit will be.
It is time for pro-EU progressives in the Labour Party to speak out.
To those who are angry and frustrated with their leadership now is the time to speak out.
Vague complaints about Brexit won’t be enough.
You need to show how to escape from it.
Join us to make that case before it is too late.
He also set out very clearly that Brexit is not inevitable:
If I started talking about life after Brexit people might think that even I think it is unstoppable, inevitable, irreversible.
So that is not what I will address this evening.
Especially as in 2018 people are starting to think again.
And we now know Article 50 can be stopped.
It’s remarkable that 20 months on from that vote, the UK Government is still no clearer on what it wants to achieve by Brexit beyond broad wishful thinking and formulaic incantations.
Tonight I am going to look at the new evidence on the costs of Brexit to the UK and Scotland.
I am going to show how the public is taking note of these costs and that minds are changing.
Here is the speech in full:
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