Abstention Disaster

Ed Miliband has requested that Labour MPs abstain on the second reading of James Wharton's private member's bill to have a referendum on the EU by 2017. This shows not only that Ed is very weak but it also shows that the issue of Europe for the Labour Party is now an electoral disaster.

Weak, Weak, Weak!

Indecision on an issue is a big sign of being weak or at least perplexed by the very problem, either way not good. Ed doesn't need any more problems at this moment. Last week was a Labour disaster where policies were announced by Ed Balls and then Red Ed disagreed with them, total chaos in what the Labour Party stands for. It used to be that Labour was a spend, spend, spend party but now with support for the removal of spare room subsidy and the like the message is confused. Spend, spend, spend is a stupid idea, but there are people who would vote for it. No one can vote for a party which has no clue. So Ed has been shown to be very weak and unable to govern even before ordering MPs to abstain on the EU.

 Nigel is after the working class Labour voters and Ed is making it so much easier for him by abstaining on the EU Referendum Bill

Red Ed has a problem though. By not voting one way or another he's going to lose voters. The traditional Labour working class voters are less likely to vote for Ed. Being anti-EU is a very key idea for those who have very left-wing views, it was Labour policy before the 1980s. But also most Labour voters, extreme left or not, are actually fed up with Europe. The whole UK population wants to see at least some reform and Ed has essentially told them he is not backing any of it. I think we may see more Labour voters going to UKIP, as they have been doing a fair amount up till now, which will really cause some problems for Red Ed.

Even in 2011 lots of Labour voters in 2010 have gone to UKIP.

But also think of those who actually want closer integration to Europe. There are a significant amount of ex-Liberal Democrat voters in this country who would love us to join the Euro. They could hold the balance in 2015. But Ed is failing to get these votes too by abstaining. He won't take a stand against the eurosceptic public and back the European project. He is allowing the Conservatives to have a majority in the second reading. This Bill may become an Act of Parliament and make Britain take a path even further from the wishes of Brussels. An ex-Lib Dem will not be pleased.

In 2015 less crosses will go to the Lib Dems and more to Labour, but Ed making this less likely?

So Ed has been shown to be weak and has upset potential voters by blocking EU reform and those who like Europe and voted Lib Dem last time. I don't know why Ed thinks abstaining is a good idea. The Tories aren't going to have a massive bust up, over 95% of them will back the Bill.