Corbyn ‘playing political games’ as he backs amendment for a second referendum

LABOUR will support a second referendum by backing an amendment to the vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal, Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed.

Last week Labour abstained from a vote to force a second public ballot on EU membership, but if the matter comes before the Commons again this week its MPS will be whipped to support it.

However, in a sign of the deep divisions in Labour over a second referendum and over Brexit itself, Mr Corbyn refused five times to say whether Labour wanted to leave the EU.

He also refused to say what should be on the ballot paper if Britain voted on EU membership again, or whether he would personally vote Leave or Remain.

If Theresa May puts her Brexit deal to a vote for a third time this week, the Labour MPS Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson will table an amendment calling for any deal that is agreed by Parliament to be put to a public vote.

Mr Corbyn told Sky News: “If the amendment is as I have just set out, then, yes, we will be supporting it. But we’ve obviously got to see the wording of it and Peter and Phil are discussing that.”

Asked what he would like to see on the ballot paper at a second referendum, he would only say it would have to be a “credible choice” and whether he personally voted to remain would “depend what the choice is in front of us”.

Asked by Sky’s Sophy Ridge if he wanted to leave the EU, Mr Corbyn said: “I want us to have a serious relationship with the EU.”

Pressed on the question of “do you want to leave the EU or not?” Mr Corbyn went on: “I’ve had many criticisms of the EU. I recognise many of the values of the EU.

“I would want to see it more accountable and more democratic, and that was what I campaigned for in the referendum. But at the end of the day it’s about the trading relationship and the jobs that is so important.”

James Cleverly, the deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, said: “Jeremy Corbyn’s decision to try to force a second referendum ignores the biggest democratic vote in our nation’s history.

“Jeremy Corbyn is using Brexit to play political games and his plans for a divisive second referendum would take us right back to square one.

“Instead of working to undermine Brexit, he should put the country’s interest before his [party’s]”

‘Corbyn’s decision ignores the biggest democratic vote in our nation’s history’