Mr Corbyn has so far been reluctant to fully back a second referendum and is only committed to putting any deal with Brussels to a public vote – a move which has angered many senior Labour MPs. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has shown further divisions within Mr Corbyn’s inner-circle after he said Labour’s Brexit strategy had been “like a car crashing in slow motion”. The backlash towards the Labour leader follows a shadow cabinet meeting where it is understood Mr Corbyn continued to delay making a concrete decision on Brexit by another two weeks in order to hold further talks with trade unions. Mr McDonnell had thought a final “white smoke” decision would be made on Tuesday, and warned if the party did not act “really soon” the impact could be irreversible.
Shadow Secretary of State, Emily Thornberry stated: “We need a decision today – this is about leadership”.
Shadow Brexit Secretary, Sir Keir Starmer told the meeting: “We can’t have half a policy.”
Whilst deputy leader Tom Watson warned: “The longer we leave this, the worse it will get.”
Meanwhile shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth also called for a shift in policy and said Labour “should have the courage of our socialist principles” and support a second referendum.
The growing discontent among Labour parliamentarians, has prompted a meeting of Remainer MPs chaired by Mr Watson this afternoon, according to ITV political editor Robert Peston.
The showdown is aimed to provide an “unambiguous position of backing a referendum and remaining in EU”.
Mr Peston wrote on Twitter: “I hear Labour remain-supporting MPs, coordinated by @tom_watson, will meet later today to determine their response to @jeremycorbyn’s failure to do what they thought he had promised to do, that is move to an unambiguous position of backing a referendum and remaining in EU.”
The reluctance to change policy has promoted a scathing response by veteran MP Dame Margaret Beckett who said Mr Corbyn “don’t give a toss” what Labour members think about Brexit.
The Labour MP told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’m beginning to think that some of them do actually want Britain to leave the EU no matter what.
“They don’t give a toss about what the British people now want or what Labour members think is in the country’s interests.
“They just are determined to make sure we don’t do anything to impede Britain leaving, if necessary with no deal.”
