Lib Dems will top Labour in Euro Elections because of Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit fudge, ex-minister claims
Ed Davey said the swing was bigger than the exodus sparked by the Iraq War
THE LIB DEMS will top Labour in the Euro Elections because of Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit fudge, ex-Minister Ed Davey claims.
The veteran said the “millions” switching to the Lib Dems from Labour now was bigger than the exodus sparked by the Iraq War.
And he said the momentum was behind the party after it leapfrogged Labour into second place in polling over the weekend. A YouGov poll on Saturday showed the Libs were at 17 per cent – to Labour on 15 per cent, down 10.
Mr Davey told The Sun: “We thrashing the Labour vote.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. The switch is bigger than anything we saw during the Iraq War. We are seeing voters in the millions come to us.”
He added: “We were in Haringey the other day, a Labour street, with Labour support and two-thirds were coming to us.
“We are by far the strongest and biggest stop Brexit party. We are now, and we will be in the future.”
Sources earlier this week claimed senior Labour figures were desperately trying to shore up support.
One time leadership challenger Clive Lewis said this weekend it would be a real problem if the consequence of Labour’s Brexit position was to “detoxify” the Lib Dems.
He added: “It feels like we’ve given [the Lib Dems] the political equivalent of resuscitation.”
Race law own goal
By Martin Beckford, Whitehall Editor
LIBERAL MPs who have spoken out against the burka could be accused of racism under a controversial new definition of Islamophobia, a former equalities chief has warned.
Trevor Phillips said that the proposed wording – rejected by the Government last week – would hit anyone who expressed concerns about the full-length Islamic veil.
And the former Equality and Human Rights Commission chairman listed several prominent politicians who would “all be guilty” of Islamophobia as a result.
He pointed out that Ken Clarke had once described the face and body covering as a “kind of bag”, Emily Thornberry said she wouldn’t want her child “looked after by somebody wearing a burka”, and Anna Soubry called it a “peculiar concept”.
Mr Phillips told the Home Affairs Select Committee yesterday [Tue]: “The authors of the report define dress as an expression of ‘Muslimness’.
The definition refers to targeting expressions of Muslimness.
“My point was simply that some people who frankly I think should be under no suspicion of being Islamophobic have said things about that form of dress could conceivably fall under the rubric.”
The contentious definition – making it racist to criticise “expressions of Muslimness” – was drawn up by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims amid growing concern about hostility.
The MPs said anti-Islamic prejudice could not be tackled without society agreeing what it means.
But concerns have been raised about freedom of speech while police chiefs have warned it would hinder the fight against terrorism because officers would be unfairly accused of racism.
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