Jeremy Corbyn refused to support a planned Labour press briefing on the benefits of staying in the single market during the referendum campaign, leaked emails seen by BuzzFeed News reveal.

On 14 June, nine days before the vote, Labour officials wanted to promote a speech the following day by deputy leader Tom Watson with research showing that staying in the single market could create 1.3 million jobs in Britain.

But in an email seen by BuzzFeed News, Corbyn's head of policy intervened to make clear that both the leader and shadow chancellor John McDonnell "don't politically support" the research and therefore opposed the briefing.

"Neither LOTO [leader of the opposition] nor STT [shadow Treasury team] are happy to support this," Andrew Fisher's brief email concluded.



Details of the email exchange came on Wednesday as Corbyn faced questions over whether he supported Britain retaining single market access following Brexit. They will add to criticism from Labour rebels that he was ambivalent to the EU and obstructed the Remain side during the referendum campaign.