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Jeremy Corbyn was hit by a growing revolt today as four union bosses ratcheted up pressure on the Labour leader to clearly back giving the public another say on Brexit.

They lined up with senior MPs to urge Mr Corbyn to come off the fence and throw his weight firmly behind a confirmatory vote on any Brexit deal.

Ahead of a crunch meeting of Labour’s National Executive Committee, GMB general secretary Tim Roache told the Standard: “It must be the public who have the final say on Brexit.

“A grubby political stitch-up to meet the needs of internal Tory party politics, rather than the best interests of our country, won’t put this question to bed for a minute, let alone a generation.”



Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: “The Prime Minister’s deal and a no-deal Brexit would be terrible for the UK, public services and working people. A package that protects peace in Northern Ireland, keeps the UK in a customs union with a close relationship to the single market, and protects future employment rights isn’t on the table. That’s why any final proposal must be put back to the country for voters to decide.”

Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the TSSA transport union, said: “Frankly it’s time for our party to act on the overwhelming wishes of its members and votes by pledging to support a confirmatory public vote on any Brexit deal.”

Paddy Lillis, general secretary of shopworkers’ union Usdaw, added: “If our politicians are confident that their deal will benefit working people, our economy and communities across the country, then they should not be afraid to put that deal to the public.”

A majority of union leaders are understood to have favoured a vote at a private meeting of the Trade Union Liaison Organisation. The big exception, however, was Len McCluskey, who leads the biggest union of all, Unite, and is firmly backing Mr Corbyn’s stance.

A Unite spokesman said Mr McCluskey was keeping his powder dry in public for now. His last public statement, on March 29. called for the Brexit impasse to be broken by a general election or by indicative votes in the Commons.

Former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett, who sits on the NEC which will tomorrow discuss Labour’s stance for the European elections, warned it would be “indefensible” for party chiefs to block a so-called People’s Vote because of the risk it might deliver a verdict that they opposed. “It’s time for Labour to take a clear position,” she told the Standard. The veteran MP, who has led a Commons push for a confirmatory vote, said it was “completely understandable” that people were concerned that a second vote on Brexit could be divisive. But she added: “If we don’t, we will all live to regret it. To be prepared to not ask them because we don’t want to hear an answer that might change things, I think is indefensible.”

Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson clashed with the London representative on the NEC, Claudia Webbe, on social media. After he issued an appeal on Twitter for supporters to challenge NEC members, she accused him of being “divisive” and claimed: “Supporting Jeremy Corbyn... to kick out the Tories should be your focus.”

He hit back by challenging her to say where she stood on the referendum. Even the Labour leader’s allies have spoken out in favour of another public vote. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: “The principle of a People’s Vote is Labour Party policy... the thing we are going to be debating at the NEC is whether it’s a confirmatory ballot in all cases or whether it’s a People’s Vote to stop no deal, or a bad Tory deal.”

Mr Corbyn’s aides came under fire recently after a planned leaflet for the European Parliament elections at the end of May did not include any mention of another public vote.

Meanwhile, Cabinet heavyweights took part in Brexit talks with Labour opposite numbers including Philip Hammond, Michael Gove, along with Theresa May’s chief of staff Gavin Barwell and chief whip Julian Smith. There was no sign of a breakthrough but No10 insisted: “They have been serious discussions.”