As the vote of no confidence by 75 per cent of Labour MPs after the EU referendum result showed, Jeremy Corbyn is at his most vulnerable over Brexit. The 2017 election result may have wiped away memories of this painful period, but to say that it shows the vote of no confidence didn’t matter goes too far. Unfortunately, Labour still lost in 2017 as its powerlessness over Brexit shows. How do we know that the perception Labour MPs were deeply unhappy with their leader did not cost the party the crucial votes that prevented it forming a government?
Voters currently seem as divided over Brexit as they are by party, and most Labour voters and members want the UK to stay part of the EU. There will therefore be no better time for centrist Labour MPs who are pro-Remain to break away and form a new party. When Brexit happens there will be a lot of bitterly disappointed people around questioning where to go from here. That several Labour MPs have been talking about the possibility of forming a new party is an open secret.
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