Brexit: Emily Thornberry says Corbyn's deal with Theresa May must include referendum

Emily Thornberry has insisted that any deal with Theresa May to save her Brexit plan signed off by Jeremy Corbyn MUST include a referendum.

The Shadow Foreign Secretary wrote to all Labour MPs after the Leader of the Opposition met with the Prime Minister.

Jeremy Corbyn has faced mounting pressure from within his own party – and from the SNP – not to agree a deal with Mrs May unless it also includes a “confirmatory” public vote.

Speaking after the meeting, Labour’s leader said there should be a public vote – if it was “to prevent crashing out or to prevent leaving with a bad deal.”

But Ms Thornberry today warned that any agreement that did not include a public vote would be “in breach of the decision made unanimously by Conference in Liverpool and overwhelmingly supported by our members”.

She said: “Any deal agreed by Parliament must be subject to a confirmatory public vote, and yes, the other option on the ballot must be Remain”.

She also insisted any agreement made between Mr Corbyn and Mrs May needs to be put to a vote‎ by the Shadow Cabinet.

Mr Corbyn spent more than an hour in discussions with the Prime Minister in an attempt to find a way through the Brexit logjam.

The Labour leader’s spokeswoman described the discussions as “constructive”.

Asked about whether a referendum on the deal should be on the table Mr Corbyn said: “There was no deal offered.

“There was no deal offered by us either. We just discussed where we are at.

“She reiterated where she is at at the present time. So red lines in the future didn’t come up.”

Mr Corbyn said he raised the issue of a public vote with Mrs May.

“I said this is the policy of our party, that we would want to pursue the option of a public vote to prevent crashing out or to prevent leaving with a bad deal.

“There was no agreement reached on that, we just put it there as one of the issues that the Labour Party conference voted on last year.”

Emily Thornberry’s letter in full

Dear All,

I won’t be able to be at the Emergency Shadow Cabinet later. But assuming one of the main topics of discussion will be whether to insist that any proposed compromise deal we agree to support will be subject to a confirmatory public vote, with “Remain” as the other alternative. What I would have said is that if we look like reaching any other decision than confirmatory vote that would be in breach of the decision made unanimously by Conference in Liverpool and overwhelmingly supported by our members and it needs to be put to a vote‎ by the Shadow Cabinet. 

The reason I think that is fundamental is that – if that is the outcome – those of us who oppose it can only take collective responsibility for the decision – and defend it in public and on the media – if we are having to go along with what was democratically agreed between us, whether we personally agreed or not, especially given the breach of our commitments to our members at conference. 

The Tory Cabinet had that kind of vote yesterday after their eight-hour discussion yesterday so I think it is the least we should be doing after the one-hour discussion this evening. 

And assuming all colleagues will agree with that principle, and given my absence, can I – in writing – confirm that my votes are that yes, any deal agreed by Parliament must be subject to a confirmatory public vote, and yes, the other option on the ballot must be Remain. 

I hope the meeting goes well, 

Emily