Jeremy Corbyn inching closer to backing a second referendum

Labour leader under intense pressure to act to prevent more restive MPs from leaving party

Heather Stewart, Daniel Boffey and Dan Sabbagh
Thu 21 Feb 2019 18.42 GMT

Jeremy Corbyn is inching closer to backing a second referendum, with the Labour leader under intense pressure from senior figures including Keir Starmer to prevent more restive MPs from leaving the party and spike the guns of the splitters.

At a Brexit policy meeting this week, Starmer spoke out in favour of an amendment drawn up by the Labour MPs Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson, the Guardian understands. Under the terms of the amendment, MPs would support the prime minister’s deal in exchange for it being put to a public vote.

Other supporters of a second referendum, including the shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, have expressed more scepticism about the approach envisaged by the amendment.

The idea of supporting a more straightforward, pro-referendum amendment also remains in play, the Guardian understands. “If there was a freestanding second referendum amendment on its own we would have to vote for it,” said one shadow minister.

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