So no hope from Jeremy either?

At a time when the death of Paddy Ashdown fills the news, what a meagre, shuffling apology for principles Jeremy Corbyn appears.

I'm relieved JC has been pushed into saying this Maw. He's been ducking and weaving for far too long.

He always said as Labour leader, he'd be guided by the policy agreed at conference. Fibbing again?

He has always supported us leaving the EU ( clandestinely)
In any case.He would not be abe to pursue socialist ideas fully if we remained in it.No bailing out the steel industry etc.
Labour members may be furious with him, but Labour voters who voted leave will be pleased at least.
He has managed to hide and fudge for the last two years, and all this ‘man of principle’ stuff has been found wanting many times.

I think a lot of politicians are between a rock and a hard place over this. Many (like both TM and JC) wish the UK to remain in the EU. What are they to do? They are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

No Luckygirl read the article -JC is in favour of leaving
There is a certain irony in it but it explains his lacklustre, half (if not quarter) hearted opposition to the government plans.

Surely he said that it was a Party decision but his persoanl choice would be leaving? Thats what I read .

Jeremy Corbyn is facing a storm of criticism from Labour activists and MPs after suggesting he would press ahead with Brexit if the party won a snap general election

This is not the same as agreeing to abide by the Party decision.

He never wanted to join in the first place. a follower of Tony Benn.

True Fennel, he wants out , always has

I think JC is a hypocrite, it has been widely known that he has always been anti EU, so why during all this Brexit business has he been glued to the fence and refused to comfirm his position till now.

Could be GrannyGravy , with the Christmas recess he cannot be questioned

Anniebach, perhaps his script/speech writer is away for Christmas? JC will be hunkered down in Islington.

GrannyGravy no doubt McDonald or McClusky will claim he was misquoted. Corbyn will appear over Christmas filmed visiting the homeless, but no interview

"True Fennel, he wants out , always has"
Well at least that's one thing where he has stuck to his principles.

Did he realy stick to his principles? Kate Howey did and faces de selection, Corbyn went on holiday and refused to take part in any tv debate

He doesn't have an principles. He is a despicable human being

One must remember though, there is a huge Labour Leave faction. Corbyn and Starmer are both on record of saying after the referendum that of course they would honour the result.

That some MPs don't want to says a lot about them. Corbyn has always been a Eurosceptic so perhaps now he has at last grown a pair and is being true to himself. It's long overdue.

The Unions have always until recently, wanted to come out of the EU and look after workers rights. A transient, migratory workforce is in no one's interests except big business. EU working practices keep the poor poor but create huge profit margins for businesses. No wonder the likes of Branson wants to stay on that particular gravy train. Billionaires and oligarchs favour membership. I wonder why?

JC won't own up to backing Brexit, no matter how much he's quizzed. He'll either say he was misquoted or that he attended a meeting but didn't actually take part in it! That man doesn't like pinning his colours to any mast spineless cowardly wretch that he is.

I have more faith for workers rights within the EU that at the mercy of the Unions.

I am sure most with stable jobs and proper contracts within the EU fare well. However, the no borders migratory work force tends to be made up of the poor who will take any work for any wags, forcing wages down, not up, and making it bad for the indigenous workforce who find themselves stuck at the bottom and at the mercy of employers who want to pay them peanuts. Some people will accept peanuts. Unions have existed to ensure workers, mostly with no voice of their own, get a fair deal, and rightly so.

The late Union Leader Bob Crowe was anti-EU for all the right reasons.

EU - no minimum wage
EU - holiday 4 weeks. UK 5.6 weeks
EU - maternity leave 14 weeks - UK 32

Doesn’t maternity leave and pay differ in countries in the EU? And are Bank Holidays included or additional to holiday leave in the EU or are they are included in the 28 days leave in the U.K.?

Good point Annieb, they are just the baselines. I assume there are variables, but UK regulations are of a higher level than EU. Perhaps that’s a reason for some of the unrest in France other than fuel price increases.

I don’t know GrannyGravy I did see a map of the countries in the EU , some faired worse than us some better, if I find the map I will post a link.