Labour MPs urge Jeremy Corbyn to strike Brexit deal with Theresa May without referendum
2 min read
Labour MPs have called on Jeremy Corbyn to strike a Brexit deal with Theresa May without demanding it be put to the public in a fresh referendum.
In a move which highlights the party's Brexit splits, 25 MPs - including some shadow ministers - wrote to their leader to say an agreement which meets all Labour's demands is "within reach".
Senior Labour frontbenchers are locked in talks with the Government in an attempt to reach a cross-party Brexit deal which could be put to the Commons next week.
Many in the party - including deputy leader Tom Watson and Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer - have insisted any deal agreed by MPs must be put to a so-called 'people's vote'.
But in their letter to Mr Corbyn, the Labour MPs say: "If compromise is necessary to achieve this deal and avoid fighting the European elections, we should go the extra step to secure this.
"Our policy, agreed by members, accepts that the public voted to leave the EU and seeks a deal that secures jobs and rights at work. It does not require a confirmatory ballot on any deal that meets those conditions."
Among those who have signed the letter are frontbenchers Gloria de Piero, Mike Kane and Jim McMahon.
A spokesman for Mr Corbyn has insisted that he only favours a fresh public vote "to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit or a no-deal outcome".
PoliticsHome also revealed that Labour chairman Ian Lavery warned the party leader at a Shadow Cabinet meeting on Thursday that Labour "could be finished" if he backs a second EU referendum.
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