WATCH Blow for Jeremy Corbyn as Labour shadow minister backs fresh EU referendum
2 min read
A senior member of Labour's frontbench has defied Jeremy Corbyn to back a second EU referendum.
Shadow Northern Ireland minister Stephen Pound said a "people's vote" should be held on the deal Theresa May eventually strikes with Brussels.
His comments put him at odds with official Labour policy, which is not to support another referendum.
Mr Pound said: "This decision is not something we can just forget about a week later. This is a decision that is going to affect my grandchildren, their children and every single generation of this country - it is so, so serious that we have to have a cold evaluation.
"This shouldn't be about ludicrous slogans on the side of a bus. This should be about the future of the European ideal - for us and for all future generations. Support a people's vote."
Mr Pound is the most senior member of Mr Corbyn's top team to break ranks with the leadership on Brexit policy.
Last month shadow ministerial aides Anna McMorrin and Tonia Antoniazzi both backed a cross-party call for another referendum.
Both of them were among six Labour frontbenchers to resign last week so they could break the Labour whip and back British membership of the European Economic Area.
Meanwhile, protesters unfurled a banner proclaiming 'Stop Backing Brexit' as Mr Corbyn addressed the Labour Live festival on north London on Saturday afternoon.
A spokesperson for the People's Vote campaign, which is calling for another referendum, backed Mr Pound's comments.
He said: "More and more Labour members, MPs and shadow ministers are demanding a people's vote on the final Brexit deal.
"Jeremy Corbyn should listen to the young people at Labour Live who called on him to stop backing the Government's Brexit and instead call for a people's vote."
Labour has been contacted for comment.
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
