Activists target Brexit row MP Ian Austin
Dudley MP Ian Austin has been warned he faces "a moment of reckoning" and a possible deselection if he does not vote down any Brexit deal brought by Theresa May.
Dudley North MP Mr Austin is one of 30 Labour MPs said to be being targeted by Labour activists, according to newspaper reports.
The drive, which is co-ordinated by the left-wing, pro-referendum group Another Europe is Possible, will involve dozens of activists targeting the constituencies of MPs who broke the whip on the amendment by Yvette Cooper, which would have sought to extend the article 50 negotiating period.
The group is led by Michael Chessum, a former member of the Momentum steering group, although it is not directed by that group’s leadership.
Alongside Mr Austin, other MPs apparently being targeted are Dennis Skinner, Gareth Snell and Caroline Flint.
Mr Austin told the Guardian: "Threatening to deselect good, hard-working MPs who listen to local people and keep the party’s manifesto promises isn’t going to help anyone.
“I have consistently voted against leaving with no deal as this would hit jobs in manufacturing, but our manifesto gave a clear promise to uphold the result of the referendum. I respect the people I represent and I don’t think manifesto promises like that can be discounted lightly.
“I’m worried about the economic impact of Brexit but I am also worried about the impact on trust in our democracy if we do not keep the promise we made to uphold the result of the referendum.”
