Labour youth wing row erupts over Brexit vote at national party conference

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A row has erupted in Labour’s youth wing over a demand to give members a vote on the party’s official Brexit policy at the national conference in Liverpool later this year.

It follows an open letter to Jeremy Corbyn from the chair of both Young Labour and Labour Students, claiming to represent a Labour membership of more than 100,000 people under the age of 27.

Miriam Mirwitch, the chair of Young Labour, and Melantha Chittenden, the chair of Labour Students, said in their letter that the referendum result was “not representative” of the views of young people across the country.

“We understand your hesitancy and the difficult political climate,” they added.

“However, in order for our policy on leaving the European Union to represent the views of our vast membership, we believe it is imperative that members have a vote at Labour party conference”.

But Ms Mirwitch came under fire from her own committee at Young Labour, who afterwards released a separate statement disowning the contents of the open letter, claiming the chair had acted unilaterally.

The organisation said it wholeheartedly supported Labour’s Brexit policy and that it is not the job of Young Labour to “ignore and condescend” those who voted to Leave the EU.

“During last year’s national conference members overwhelmingly rejected a discussion and vote on Brexit through the priority ballot,” the statement said.

“Furthermore, attempts to undermine party policy at Young Labour’s October 2017 policy conference was resoundingly defeated.”

It continued: “Without any consultation, our National chair signed a petition on a website which openly promotes itself as a funding operation for anti-Corbyn NEC candidates promoted by Labour First and Progress.

“As a committee, we therefore wish to collectively reassure members that Miriam Mirwitch’s actions do not represent Young Labours national committee. We believe it is important that the chair does not mislead the public on Young Labour’s position towards Labour’s Brexit policy.”

Ms Mirwitch later claimed that her letter did not at any point represent the views of the organisation, claiming: “I was simply lobbying for Young Labour members to have a say in policy.”

The row comes as the Labour leader faces internal pressure in the parliamentary party over Labour’s position in the single market. Following a vote in the Lords, MPs will soon have the chance to vote on the issue of the European Economic Area (EEA) in the Commons.

It is widely expected that Mr Corbyn will instruct his MPs to abstain on the amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill — despite calls from pro-EU MPs to back the measure.