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Eight people who’ve changed their Brexit position

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It can be hard work keeping track of how Brexit is going. Last week alone we had the government adopt a series of amendments which were designed to wreck the very plans they had put forward, a minister resign in order to support the government’s original position, and a president argue that the proposals both would and would not make a trade deal possible with the US. Meanwhile, other politicians have contributed to the general level of confusion by dropping their old beliefs at will and adopting new ones with newfound zeal. Whether these changes of heart are indications of the power of argument and persuasion, or simply politically expedient choices, a number of public figures would prefer it if we simply forgot the positions they used to hold. Happily Mr S is on hand to offer a guide to those who have changed their tune despite what they might say in public: 1. Jeremy Hunt Suggesting that there should be a second referendum on Brexit is a crime akin to treason among certain wings of the Conservative party. Yet it was not that long ago that new Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt considered launching a leadership bid proposing to do just that. Luckily, he has now clarified on his website that:

‘I do not believe that there should be a second referendum. The referendum campaign was fought, turnout was high and the public has given its verdict. We must now deliver the result.’

He has lately – perhaps with the Tory leadership on his mind – tried a new tack, chiding businesses worrying about Brexit, saying: ‘We are in an absolutely critical moment in the Brexit discussions and what that means is that we need to get behind Theresa May to deliver the best possible Brexit.’ 2. John Major If life is a journey, than former Prime Minister John Major is clearly walking in the opposite direction to Jeremy Hunt. Despite protestations in the past that he did not think a second referendum was a good idea, he has clarified this week that in actual fact, a second vote is ‘morally justified.’ 3. Gary Lineker Football pundit turned Remainer-in-chief Gary Lineker has joined the growing group of people who are calling for a second referendum. Lineker credits his change of heart to the growing chance of no-deal Brexit, but Mr S found these tweets from 2017 which suggest it isn’t as sudden a change of heart as he would have us believe: 4. Diane Abbott Experience has shown that Diane Abbott would much rather miss a key Brexit vote than lay her cards on the table. That said, when she has committed her opinions to paper she still has managed to flip on the big issues. In November last year, her constituents in London were surprised to see her commit to supporting a referendum on the final Brexit deal. Moments later she rowed back on the comments, describing them as ‘poorly worded.’ 5. Justine Greening While some politicians have the decency to wait some time before changing their views, Justine Greening clearly has no time to waste on being consistent. As Mr S pointed out earlier this month, it only took Greening a week to go from supporting the PM and the Chequers plan, to calling for a second referendum in the letter pages of the Times. 6. Anna Soubry It’s hard to believe, but arch Remainer Anna Soubry did at one point believe that the public’s Brexit decision should be respected. She tweeted on 26 June 2016: To be fair to Soubry, respecting the result may involve voting against the government at every opportunity. Mr S isn’t convinced though. 7. Nadine Dorries It’s not just those on the Remain side. As one of the most vocal backbench brexiteers, Nadine Dorries has been adamant that for Brexit to mean Brexit, the UK will have to have to move away from the Norway model. To put it in her own words ‘If we stay in the single market and the customs union, we haven’t left.’ But in the days after the referendum, Nadine appeared to favour a soft Brexit. On 27 June 2016 she tweeted: 8. Chuka Umunna Perhaps inspired by Nadine’s staunch defence of the single market, Labour MP Chuka Umunna has been desperately petitioning the Labour leadership to to change their policy and aim for a Norway deal. He wasn’t as convinced before the referendum though: Mr S will add to the list as more politicians inevitably go back on their word…

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