Corbyn says new UK PM must put Brexit plan to second referendum

Analysis Euronews

The leader of Britain’s Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, has said whoever becomes the country’s next prime minister should test their Brexit plan with a second referendum on European Union membership.

In a letter to party members, he added Labour would campaign in favour of remain to stop a no-deal Brexit or what he called a “damaging Tory (Conservative Party) Brexit”.

“Whoever becomes the new prime minister should have the confidence to put their deal, or no deal, back to the people in a public vote,” Corbyn wrote.

“In those circumstances, I want to make it clear that Labour would campaign for Remain against either no deal or a Tory deal that does not protect the economy and jobs.”

However, his letter did not go into what Corbyn’s own party would do were it to win a general election.

The shift in stance came as he faced pressure to fully support an anti-Brexit line, with senior members of Labour calling for policy that was more pro-EU.

Corbyn also reiterated calls for a general election and said his party had a “crucial, historic duty to safeguard jobs, rights and living standards, but no Brexit outcome alone can do that.”

The UK is set to have a new prime minister in just over two weeks and former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson looks on course for a resounding victory, with a YouGov poll on Monday saying he’s backed by 74% of the Conservative Party — well ahead of current Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.