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22nd Sep 2018

Jeremy Corbyn will back a second Brexit referendum if Labour conference votes for it

Wayne Farry

jeremy corbyn

The Labour leader has said that he will back a People’s Vote if his party conference votes for it

The Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn has vowed to back a second referendum on Brexit if his party votes for it during their conference, which is being held in the city of Liverpool.

The exact details of the potential second EU referendum are yet to be ironed out, and it remains to be seen whether the hypothetical vote would encompass approval of a final Brexit deal, or whether it would be a repeat vote in the event of a no deal Brexit.

Corbyn has been under increasing pressure from supporters to back calls for a second referendum, and has until now been reluctant to do so.

However, the EU’s recent rejection of Theresa May’s Chequers Plan, and a vote on Saturday which showed support for a second vote at 86 percent among the members asked, appear to have pushed his hand.

Prior to his announcement, which came in an interview with the Mirror, Corbyn was urged to back members of his party by Labour deputy Tom Watson.

“Jeremy and I were elected in 2015 to give the Labour party back to its members,” he said. “So if the people’s party decide they want the people to have a final say on the deal, we have to respect the view of our members and we will go out and argue for it.”