THE list of enemies was long.
Tory toffs, naturally, spivs and speculators, of course, Blairites, certainly, and, last but by no means least, as Tony Kearns of the CWU union said, “John McDonnell talked about our friends in the media or, as we like to call them, Tory propagandists”. Hiss.
It was that debate on Brexit and a People’s Vote. Passions ran high.
Jane Begley, a devout Remainer mum from Exeter, was beside herself with anger, saying how the Government had “completely screwed over our young people” and decried how David Cameron, remember him, had been the “worst poster boy for Remain”.
She backed calls for a general election and warned backing a People’s Vote at this stage might alienate Labour Leavers.
Gemma Bolton, a chief scrutineer, also declared that a real People’s Vote was another general election. “Do you think another referendum will make any difference,” she asked. To which a comrade jumped up and shouted: “Yes I do.”
At one point some loyal Remainers unfolded an EU flag only to be quickly told by an officious steward: “No flags are allowed; orders from the party.”
After Sir Keir – following his to-do with Red John McDonnell over the Remain option in a People’s Vote – insisted to cheers: “Nobody is ruling out Remain as an option” – in a fraternal fashion Steve Turner from Red Len’s Unite helpfully intervened to say: “Despite what Keir Starmer may have said earlier, it will be a public vote; that’s a vote on the terms of our departure.” In other words, Remain will not be an option in a People’s Vote.
David Mallon from Blyth Valley said he would have voted Remain in 2016 but was now against it as the EU was a "capitalist club" using free trade to "take advantage" of eastern Europeans. He was cheered but before he left the staged gave Jezza big hug.
In the midst of the Brexit row the prize for outstanding performance by a Socialist went to Tosh McDonald, a Richard Branson lookalike.
To a wave of boos the Aslef chief mentioned the comrades’ Number One hate figure: Margaret Thatcher, of course. "I hated her," admitted Tosh. "I wish I could be like Jeremy and rise above it but I can't.”
He admitted to setting his alarm clock an hour earlier every day so he could "hate her for an hour longer". The comrades loved it.
To laughter, he added: "Since she died I don't do that anymore, I just set my alarm at the right time but I still wake up an hour earlier; I can't help it."
For a wonderful brief moment it was a case of “Brexit? Schmexit”.
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