JEREMY Corbyn has come under fire from both pro-Remain and pro-Brexit Labour MPs as Shadow Cabinet colleagues attempted to bounce their leader into backing a second EU referendum on any cross-party deal.
At a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party in the Commons, Mr Corbyn was told by Edinburgh MP Ian Murray, a keen supporter of a public vote, that the party in England faced being wiped out at Westminster as it all but had been in Scotland following the 2014 independence referendum.
“If the UK goes the same way as Scotland, there will be none of us left because the dam will burst,” the former Shadow Scottish Secretary said.
London MP West Streeting was said to have warned the party leader that Labour's message on Brexit was unclear. "We need clear leadership in order to win the next General Election," he declared.
His pro-Remain colleague Peter Kyle told Mr Corbyn the party's message on a second referendum had been too complicated and had left voters confused.
"I urge you to simplify our policy so people realise we are speaking with absolute sincerity," the Hove MP told his party leader.
John Mann, the pro-Brexit MP, called on Mr Corbyn to give Labour MPs a free vote on Brexit issues to reflect the divisions within the party and the country.
"Labour voters are divided in a very big way. If you don't get this right you cannot be Prime Minister," he told him bluntly.
The Labour leader acknowledged the MPs' "frustrations" and said he understood the need to simplify their message, telling them: "I get that."
Later, a Labour source said: "Our message is about bringing the country together. That means people who voted Leave and people who voted for Remain."
Earlier, there was a clear attempt by two senior Shadow Cabinet members to pressure Mr Corbyn to swing behind a public vote on any Brexit deal.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Shadow Brexit Secretary, warned it was "impossible" to see how an agreement between the Conservatives and his party could clear the Commons unless it guaranteed the deal would be put back to the public for a "confirmatory vote".
He claimed "probably 120 if not 150" of Labour’s 229 MPs could vote against any brokered deal unless it was linked to a second referendum.
His Shadow Cabinet colleague Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader, said he thought the way out of the impasse was a "confirmatory ballot" on Theresa May's agreement, saying it would be "difficult" for his party to assist in the UK's exit from the EU without another referendum.
The Midlands MP also described Labour's position in relation to the forthcoming European elections as a "remain and reform" party despite the fact that Mr Corbyn has said he wants Labour to honour the 2016 poll and for Britain to leave the EU.
Last month, the Labour leader saw off an attempt to commit the party to a confirmatory referendum on any Brexit deal with the party instead backing a fresh vote only if it could not either win the changes it wanted to Mrs May's deal or secure a general election.
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