People's Vote Deputy Chair Believes Corbyn Will Back Second Referendum To Avoid No Deal

26 January 2019, 13:38

Jeremy Corbyn will eventually support a second referendum in order to avoid leaving without a deal but "clearly isn't there yet", the People's Vote Deputy Chair says.

Hugo Dixon said he believes Mr Corbyn "will ultimately get to support a new referendum" to prevent a no deal Brexit, but admits the Labour leader is "clearly not there yet".

Speaking to Maajid Nawaz, the deputy chair of the People's Vote campaign said that "the logic of the position and the logic of the Labour Party's conference policy will ultimately drive him there".

"We're going through a stage where Parliament is trying to deliver a viable form of Brexit which isn't completely damaging to the country," he said.

"I don't believe that's possible, I haven't believed that's possible for the last two years, but it's only fair for Parliament to finally exhaust all of the other options and only then conclude it's to difficult and ask the people whether they still want to leave."

The campaign leaders' comments come as The Times reports an exodus of Labour members who are leaving the party because of its stance on holding another referendum.

And Maajid has pointed out Jeremy Corbyn's ambiguity on Brexit before, calling it "one of the great mysteries of the universe".

"As leader of the Labour Party in this day and age he is somewhat vague about where he stands," he said.

"At conference he did support the idea that he would listen to his membership and do what he's members want, but it doesn't seem to have transpired so far.

"Unfortunately, for whatever reasons of his own design, we're somewhat vague as to what Jeremy Corbyn currently believes about what should happen with Brexit."