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As it happenedended1556304877

Brexit news: Remain forges eight-point lead over Leave in new poll as Labour faces backlash over election leaflets

Updates from Westminster as it happened

Chris Baynes
Friday 26 April 2019 19:54 BST
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John McDonnell says a referendum 'is always on the table' after Brexit talks

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Jeremy Corbyn faced fury within Labour after campaign leaflets for the European elections suggested the party wanted to press ahead with Brexit, as a new opinion poll shows Remain has an eight-point lead over Leave.

A flyer drafted by the leader's office makes no mention of the party's policy for a second referendum on the UK's departure from the EU.

Labour MPs are reportedly writing to the ruling National Executive Committee to demand support for a fresh public vote be outlined in the party's European election manifesto, with some said to be prepared to quit over the issue.

Hilary Benn tweeted: "Labour has twice supported a confirmatory referendum in votes in the House of Commons. It’s our policy. Why isn’t it mentioned in this leaflet?​"

Following reports that the Labour leadership had "forgot" the put the pledge in its draft leaflet, the party insisted that the manifesto would only be finalised at a meeting of the National Executive Committee on Tuesday.

“There are a number of different texts for different leaflets in circulation, including for a freepost and for other campaign purposes," a party spokesman said. "They all reflect existing party policy. Our manifesto for the European elections will be decided next Tuesday.”

Meanwhile new EU polling showed 45 per cent of Brits would vote to remain in the UK in a second referendum, compared to 37 per cent who would want to leave.

Every country in the EU would vote to remain if a referendum was held tomorrow, the survey found.

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Change UK leader Heidi Allen says the option of a no-deal Brexit should be on the ballot paper for any second referendum.

Asked how that would work, the MP said: "Perhaps we have another round of indicative votes. Whatever comes out of that we put to the British people in a referendum versus Remain."

Peter Stubley26 April 2019 18:15
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweets his reasons for rejecting an invitation to a state banquet with Donald Trump during the US president's visit to London in June, as reported earlier.

Peter Stubley26 April 2019 19:04
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Alastair Campbell blames Labour's director of strategy Seumas Milme for the confusion over the party's Euro elections leaflet.

The Labour leadership has claimed the authors of the draft leaflet "forgot" to include a reference to a confirmatory Brexit referendum, according to ITV's Robert Peston, who says a final decision on the manifesto will be taken at an emergency NEC meeting on Tuesday.

Peter Stubley26 April 2019 19:17
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Earlier today Vince Cable launched the Liberal Democrats' Euro elections campaign with the slogan "Stop Brexit".

In this piece for The Independent he says many voters are turning away from Labour to find their "natural home" in his "progressive, liberal, pro-European" party.

Peter Stubley26 April 2019 19:28
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That's it for Brexit for today. The saga continues.

Peter Stubley26 April 2019 19:45

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