Good for them I say (Watson et al). I prefer that more managerial stye if it gets elected and gets things done, to populism, monstering your enemies online, and inevitaly dashed expectation of direct democracy.
And they're not doing exactly what was decided at conference. They're not throwing their weight behind a referendum in good faith - as I'm sure you know, the membership had to really fight to get that prospect on the agenda. They're prevaricating in the hope of electuoral advantage. That actually makes sense to me, I understand why it's being done - I just wish that an articulate and capable Remainer had been in charge of the party for the last few years. The whole national conversation might be different.