Keir Starmer has expressed doubts that any cross-party Brexit deal lacking a confirmatory referendum could pass parliament, warning up to 150 Labour MPs would reject an agreement that did not include one.
The shadow Brexit secretary said he feared the party risked losing its remain voters after worse than expected losses in the local elections, but he warned Labour remainers tempted to vote for the Liberal Democrats or Change UK that only Jeremy Corbyn’s party could deliver a fresh referendum.
In his first major interview since talks with the government began almost five weeks ago, Starmer:
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Suggested a referendum must be part of any package agreed with the government.
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Said Labour could call time on the cross-party talks within days if it became clear no new offer was forthcoming.
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Warned Theresa May would further damage the prospect of any deal if she set an imminent departure date from No 10.
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Said the option was “on the table” to face Nigel Farage or Tommy Robinson in an EU elections debate.
Starmer, a human rights lawyer for 20 years, is to be the key face of Labour’s EU elections campaign, which will be framed as a battle of values.
He said the poll on 23 May would be a fight Labour “cannot sit out” for tolerance and internationalism against populists such as Farage and Robinson. [...]
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