Jeremy Corbyn says second EU referendum could be 'healing process' for Britain's Brexit splits
2 min read
Jeremy Corbyn has said that a second EU referendum could be seen as a “healing process” for the country that brings the Brexit impasse to a conclusion.
Speaking at the party’s EU election launch in Kent the Labour leader said there should be an option of a public vote on the outcome of talks and negotiations, and that it could “bring people together”.
Mr Corbyn said: “The view we put forward, the party conference put this forward, the national executive agreed this, [was] that we should include the option of having a ballot on a public vote on the outcome of the talks and negotiations on what we’re putting forward.
“I would want that to be seen as a healing process, and bringing this whole process to a conclusion.
“Nothing is easy in this. But our essential message has to be to bring people together and that’s the basis on which we’ve approached both what we’ve done in parliament and in the negotiations itself.”
The party ruled earlier this month that a second referendum should only be "an option" in order to halt a "damaging" deal or if it cannot force a general election.
The opposition leader added that while the party had promised to respect the result, they could “never accept” a bad deal or no-deal scenario.
He added: “If we can’t get a sensible deal along the lines of our alternative plan or a general election, Labour backs the option of a public vote on it…
“We are quite prepared to put the issue to a public vote at the conclusion of the parliamentary process. At the moment there has not been a majority in Parliament to get any of these things through.”
Mr Corbyn also dismissed claims that Labour offered a mixed message on Brexit, insisting: “I don’t think it’s been confusing at all.”
He said: “It’s said that Labour is trying to offer something for everyone over Brexit, I make no apology over that.”
Elsewhere he said that Theresa May had not yet given any “big offer” as yet in the talks between both sides, which have been ongoing since early April as the PM tries to break the deadlock in the Commons.
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