JEREMY Corbyn would be prepared to back a second referendum on the European Union, stressing how he would be “bound by” the will of the party if its members voted for the change in Labour policy.

But the party leader, speaking as the Labour conference in Liverpool got underway today, insisted he personally was not calling for another poll, a People’s Vote, and believed a general election would be a better way to resolve the political crisis over the nature of the UK's departure from the EU.

And Len McCluskey, the Unite leader, warned that any second vote on Brexit should not be asking if the public wanted to stay in the EU as proposed by those supporting a People’s Vote.

"We have already had a People's Vote; they voted to come out of the EU," declared Mr McCluskey.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live it would be wrong for Labour to start campaigning for a second referendum.

He joined the chorus of union and Labour figures calling, rather, for a general election, saying a government led by Mr Corbyn would strike a deal with EU leaders that would unite the nation.

"We have a Government that cannot govern. We desperately need a general election," he insisted.

His comments came as a poll found 86 per cent of Labour members thought voters should have the final say on the outcome of Brexit negotiations and 90 per cent would now vote to remain in the EU.

A march of MPs, MEPs, union leaders and activists is being organised today to coincide with the start of conference in a bid to put pressure on the party to throw its weight behind another vote on Britain’s relationship with the EU.

More than 100 constituency parties have submitted motions calling for the issue to be put to a vote.

Many activists believe that with Theresa May's plans in disarray following the rejection of her Chequers proposals by EU leaders in Salzburg, the time is now right for Labour to call for a fresh ballot.

Asked about supporting a People’s Vote, Mr Corbyn told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show: "Let's see what comes out of conference. Obviously, I'm bound by the democracy of our party."

The Labour leader confirmed there would be a vote on Brexit at the Liverpool conference but said it was not yet known exactly what question would be put to delegates. The debate on Brexit is set for Tuesday morning.

"There will be a clear vote in the conference. I don't know what's going to come out of all the compositing meetings that are going on," explained Mr Corbyn.

He declined to say which way he would vote in any new in-or-out poll, while pointing out that he backed Remain in the 2016 referendum.

"That's conjecture as to what the question would be," he said, noting: "We don't know what it would be. In the referendum, I wanted to remain and reform the EU."

Earlier, Tom Watson, the deputy leader, had made clear that if members voted to back a People’s Vote, he would support the move.

He told The Observer: "Jeremy and I were elected in 2015 to give the Labour Party back to its members. So, if the people's party decide they want the people to have a final say on the deal, we have to respect the view of our members and we will go out and argue for it."

However, there was some doubt expressed by other colleagues.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Andrew Gwynne, the Shadow Housing Minister stopped short of repeating his bosses' support for a People's Vote if it were the wish of party members.

"Of course, we're a democratic party but before we get that we want a general election, because this government has made a complete fist of Brexit, they haven't been able to negotiate a deal.

"Ultimately, we are not in control of this process right now. We want to be in control of that process. We want to negotiate a Labour Brexit."

A YouGov survey of more than 1,000 Labour members for The Observer found 86 per cent supported a referendum on the outcome of Brexit talks, against just eight per cent who opposed it.

Even in the North and Midlands, where many Labour constituencies voted Leave in 2016, there was overwhelming support - 86 and 88 per cent respectively - for a second vote.

Some 81 per cent believed their standard of living would get worse after Brexit and 89 per cent said it would be bad for jobs.

Brandon Lewis for the Conservatives denounced the potential policy change by Labour, saying: "The last pretence that Labour ever respected the democratic decision of the British people is rapidly disappearing."

As Labour's gathering began:

*the party announced plans for a £560 million tax on holiday homes in England to fund measures to tackle homelessness and inequality;

*Mr Corbyn said his government would require businesses employing more than 250 people to reserve one-third of seats on boards for representatives of their workforce and

*delegates will vote on changes to the way the party elects its leader.