Labour has admitted it will not support a new referendum on Brexit in all circumstances, in a major blow to those in the party campaigning for one.
Sources close to the Labour leadership confirmed that the party is not advocating a referendum on anything other than a damaging Tory Brexit and will not support one if Britain leaves the EU on terms that Labour backs.
As it dawned on Labour Remainers today, a prominent MP who backs the People’s Vote campaign warned that a failure of the party to follow through on the pledge to back a new referendum would be seen as a betrayal.
It comes as deputy leader Tom Watson is in the process of forming a new social democrat group within the party, while eight MPs have quit the party, in large part over Brexit policy, to form the new Independent Group.
Shortly afterwards, Ms Thornberry told Channel 4 that Labour would demand a referendum on any Brexit deal, saying: We would have a referendum on whatever deal may or may not pass through parliament, and we would be saying to people, Do you want this? Or do you want to Remain?’ It would be a confirmation referendum, a bit like what happened with the Good Friday Agreement.
But the Labour leadership has rowed in behind Mr Trickett after a strong backlash from dozens of Labour MPs in Leave-voting areas, who have vowed to oppose any fresh referendum.
One MP said: “There are a lot of people who are really angry. At this point we should be pushing for a deal.
Some have already said they won’t support another referendum but there is a larger group that might go with the whip but are just really worried about the direction we’ve taken.
Responding to the news, Cardiff South and Penarth MP Stephen Doughty warned Mr Corbyn that Labour voters would feel completely betrayed if Labour did not agree to put any Brexit deal to a public vote.