‘Deal with Brexit issues in Parliament, not referendum’ – Corbyn
THE issues surrounding Brexit should be addressed through negotiations and a vote in Parliament rather than a second referendum, Jeremy Corbyn has said.
The Labour leader was appearing on a radio show with London mayor Sadiq Khan, who has suggested a second public vote could be required if Parliament rejects the Brexit deal.
Mr Corbyn also restated his support for unilaterally protecting the rights of European Union citizens living in the UK and defended his efforts backing the Remain cause during the 2016 referendum campaign.
On LBC Radio Mr Corbyn was asked whether he would back a second referendum to give the public a final say on the Brexit deal if Labour was in office.
He said: “What I want to do is negotiate tariff-free trade access to European markets and protection of all the regulations we have gained from Europe in relation to workers, consumers and the environment.
“The idea of a second referendum is something that many people want but many are very concerned about it because they don’t think it would actually solve the issue.
“I think that the issue has to be dealt with by negotiation and by a meaningful vote in Parliament on what it is.
“We are in the middle of an Article 50 process, therefore we have declared we are leaving the EU.
“The question is the future relationship with the EU that we have. I want it to be one where we have an economy that works alongside Europe, not undermines Europe, and we have a trade arrangement that gives us that access.
“After all, half of our trade is with Europe at the present time.”
When he was asked about the prospect of a second referendum on Monday, Mr Khan suggested that if Parliament rejected the Brexit deal thrashed out by Theresa May with Brussels then that “opens up a whole host of questions”.