Labour MPs refuse to back Brexit deal without second referendum

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was warned he could lose the support of up to 60 MPs for a Brexit deal if he failed to secure a second referendum.

Even if Prime Minister Theresa May agrees to Corbyn’s demand of a customs union, Corbyn would fail to garner enough support from MPs who refuse to back any deal that did not have a "people’s vote" attached.

More than 100 opposition MPs, including 66 from Labour, said at the weekend they would not tolerate a “Westminster stitch-up” on a Brexit deal without a second referendum.

“Jeremy cannot be sure he has the numbers – even if he whipped it – so he cannot do a deal without a confirmatory vote,” an unnamed shadow cabinet minister said:

May is preparing to make new proposals of a temporary customs union at least until the next election in 2022. Another concession would be to match EU employment rights in the future and a third concession would be the alignment of single market regulations on goods.

Nevertheless shadow chancellor John McDonnell said on Friday that any customs union would need to be permanent and warned No 10 that “to get any deal over the line you’ve got to recognise there will be a large number of MPs in parliament who actually do support a public vote”.

According to the Telegraph, Theresa May reportedly entered secret discussions over the possibility of staging a second Brexit referendum.

May and her aides reportedly discussed giving the electorate a three-way vote on whether to take Brexit with a deal, leave without a deal, or remain.