Reports that Theresa May is planning a November election – Jeremy Corbyn would back second referendum but prefers election
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British Prime Minister TheresaMay is planning an early general election in November to save her leadership and to prevent the collapse of talks with European leaders over Britain’s exit from the bloc, according to a report by the Sunday Times newspaper.
Britain’s opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Sunday he would prefer a national election to a second referendum on Brexit.
The Sunday Times’ report comes just days after EU leaders rejected the Conservative party leader’s preferred plan for leaving the EU, the so-called Chequers agreement.
Under the plan, the United Kingdom would enter into a free trade area with the European Union, which would have common rules and standards in several major industries, and maintain customs duties regulations but end freedom of movement between EU member states and the UK.
The Telegraph reports that Labour is poised to back a second referendum after Jeremy Corbyn confirmed he is prepared to commit to a major policy shift if the party’s members vote for it.
On the eve of Labour’s annual conference, Mr Corbyn said he was “bound by the democracy of our party” and would “adhere” to “what comes out of conference”, although he insisted he would rather bring about a general election.
His comments pave the way for a significant change in Labour’s Brexit policy, with delegates gathering at this year’s conference in Liverpool thought to be overwhelmingly in favour of a so-called ‘people’s vote’ on the final deal.
Up until now, Mr Corbyn’s team has insisted that they respect the result of the referendum and have resisted calls for Labour to become the anti-Brexit party.
However, in recent months they have come under mounting pressure from members and remain-supporting backbench MPs, who have thrown their weight behind the people’s vote.
