Two of Jeremy Corbyn’s most trusted political comrades have significantly upped the pressure on the Labour leader to back Remain if a second Brexit referendum were to take place.
Corbyn, who is a lifelong eurosceptic, has left the door open to campaigning to quit the EU with a deal renegotiated by a Labour government. However pressure from his Shadow Chancellor, John Mcdonnell and Diane Abbott could see him come out fully behind remain.
Diane Abbott was speaking with the BBC today and said:
We are, of course, the party’s committed to a referendum now.
And Jeremy’s (Corbyn) made that clear and if there is a referendum and if remain is on the ballot paper and there’s every expectation it will be, I – like John McDonnell – personally will be campaigning for remain.
The party and the Shadow Cabinet will have to debate this and arrive at a position.
Whatever the position is Jeremy will follow what the party says.
If the official Labour position remains committed to leaving the EU with a different deal Corbyn’s former lover would have no choice but to leave the front bench and campaign for remain if they were to succeed in getting a second referendum.
