Jeremy Corbyn is expected to outline Labour’s key policies for the European elections on Thursday. But, Richard Corbett, a Labour MEP, claimed a vote for the party in the upcoming poll at the end of May would be supportive of another Brexit vote. The Labour MEP was asked by host Nick Robinson if a vote for the Labour Party was a vote for another EU referendum.

Mr Corbett told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “In the current situation, absolutely.”

The BBC host pointed out the position decided at a meeting of the National Executive Committee, where the party said they will back the option of a public vote, or second referendum, if it cannot win support for its own Brexit deal, secure changes to the government’s Brexit agreement or a national election.

The Labour leader replied: “There were lots of different views in that room.

“But, we came together with a wording that includes a line from our party conference, that if the Government thinks its deal is so good, it should put it to the people.”

He added: “If the Government signs off on a Brexit deal, remember we have a Tory Government at the moment, so it’s a Tory Brexit deal.

In the currently situation, absolutely

Richard Corbett

“By the way, it is a pretty bad deal, then it should go to the people.”

Mr Corbett added the Government was “not going to move” to the position of agreeing to Labour’s demands in negotiations.

He said: “Look at what we are going to be faced with, a damaging deal…different to what the Leave campaign promised three years ago.

“That is what we want the opportunity to put to the people to reject.”

After the NEC decision, a Labour Party source said the agreed position to take into elections to the European Parliament in May was “fully in line with Labour’s existing policy”.

The Government are still in negotiations with the Labour Party after Mrs May reached out to Mr Corbyn to try to get Brexit over the line before Easter.

Mrs May’s de-facto deputy David Lidington admitted European elections would go ahead on May 23 on Tuesday but said the Government was “redoubling our efforts” to get an EU withdrawal agreement ratified by the start of July so the MEPs elected this month never have to take their seats.

The Government and Labour are to hold further talks next week aimed at breaking the Brexit deadlock following a second day of “extended” discussions in Whitehall this week.

A No 10 spokesman said: “This is the second extended meeting between the Government and the opposition, which demonstrates the seriousness with which both sides are approaching these talks.

“Over the coming days, there will be more meetings of the bilateral working groups and further exchanges of documents as we seek to nail down the details of what has been discussed.”

A Labour Party spokesman said: “After the second day of talks this week, the negotiating teams are working to establish scope for agreement and will meet again at the beginning of next week.”

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