What Corbyn’s Brexit policy means for a general election

Jeremy Corbyn has dashed the hopes of certain members of his shadow cabinet this morning with a Guardian op-ed in which he sets out his party’s Brexit position in any forthcoming general election. Rather than explicitly back remaining in the EU, Corbyn says a Labour government would pursue a softer Brexit deal with Brussels before letting the public decide between that deal and Remain in a second referendum. He goes on to say: ‘We would then put that to a public vote alongside Remain. I will pledge to carry out whatever the people decide, as a Labour prime minister.’ This is being read as Corbyn saying he personally would not take a side in that referendum.

The Labour position attempts to find a Brexit compromise which will keep figures in the parliamentary party and Leave and Remain Labour voters on side. There had been a hope among Corbyn allies that Corbyn would say his party now backs Remain in a second vote.