Labour’s Brexit ambiguity is costing them in the polls

The Prime Minister told MPs yesterday that their decisions over Brexit will be judged by history, but we don't have to wait that long to get a sense of the voters' verdict.

Journalists travelling the country in recent days have noted a surprising amount of support for Theresa May. Whether driven by sympathy, admiration or just a sense that they want Brexit put to bed, the public at large appear to be far kinder to the PM than her own MPs.

Perhaps the most striking revelation, coming as it does on the back of a string of defeats and resignations that have rocked the government, is that the latest opinion poll grants the Tories a six point lead over Jeremy Corbyn's Labour party.

The Labour leader may have put this from his mind when he addressed his MPs last night and reiterated his position that their priority is to secure a general election so that people will “have the chance to vote for a government that can bring our people together and address the deep-seated issues facing our country.” Current polling suggests the public don't share his enthusiasm. What can account for Labour's slump in the polls?

The government is barely holding itself together while many of Labour's economic policies enjoy broad support. Why are they not 20 points ahead?

A likely explanation is that the public can sense Labour's deliberate ambiguity over Brexit as well as the divisions that exist between the leadership and Remain-supporting MPs. During broadcast interviews on Sunday Corbyn was all at sea, refusing to offer any clarity on whether he (and his party) support Brexit in any form or whether they would seek another referendum.

He couldn't even say what his Brexit position would be if he did succeed in triggering an election. Corbyn has said he will call for a vote of no confidence in the government “soon” after a Commons defeat for May, but if this plan falls and May continues as Prime Minister then the Labour leader will have no choice but to clarify his position on holding a second referendum and what his stance would be if such an event came to pass.

Until he gets off the fence, the public will rightly view his party with suspicion.