WATCH Jeremy Corbyn: Labour will not support a second EU referendum
2 min read
Jeremy Corbyn has ruled out any prospect of the Labour party supporting a second EU referendum.
The Labour leader's remarks appeared to put an end to confusion among the party's frontbenchers over calls for a fresh poll on the deal struck between the Government and Brussels.
In further comments which also risk angering his Remain-backing MPs, Mr Corbyn also ruled out Labour backing a Norway-style Brexit deal which would see the UK staying in the single market even after quitting the EU.
A poll last month revealed that 80% of Labour members back a second EU referendum. Another poll this week suggested a 16-point lead for a referendum on the final Brexit deal.
Deputy leader Tom Watson has said "you should not rule anything out" on the issue, while Emily Thornberry has said Labour could back one if public opinion shifted.
Appearing on the Andrew Marr Show, Mr Corbyn made clear his opposition to another vote on Britain's membership of the bloc.
He said: "What we've asked for and demanded is a meaningful vote in parliament at the end of it ... we're not asking for a second referendum."
Asked if they were going to in the future, the Labour leader replied: "No."
Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Corbyn also rejected calls for Labour to pledge a Norway-style Brexit, where the UK would continue paying into the EU's coffers in order to gain access to the single market.
He said: "Norway accepts all the rules of the single market, doesn't have any ability to influence them whatsoever and is a rather different economy to ours as it's heavily dependent on mainly oil - we're not.
"The principle has to be the trade relationship, and that's what we're focused on. Whatever we need to negotiate, we will."
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