At a time when many people think politics is broken and trust in the establishment is at a very low ebb, it is critically important that we reset the relationship between the party and the electorate. It may be that in order to do this we will need frankly to accept that we were mistaken.
So, let’s be honest. Labour got it wrong on a second referendum. The party went against one of the only times in recent history that people felt they could finally express their justified anger at the present political system.
To rebuild trust that has been lost and restore people’s trust in politics – Labour should say sorry. This is not only about Labour winning elections but restoring faith in democracy.
We do not believe that the party can move on until it has put this issue behind us.
For those who will say that the matter is behind us and we should move on, we say it will not do to whitewash or to ignore the recent past.
The country, our voters and our activists all deserve an explanation and perhaps an apology by the party for our actions in the years after the referendum up until the December election.
It must be a settling of accounts with leavers, of course – but also with the remainers, some of whom were falsely led to believe that we might be able to remain.
