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Jeremy Corbyn today stopped short of ruling out revoking Article 50, but insisted the idea is "hypothetical" and not his "focus".

Speaking in Brussels, the Labour leader was twice asked whether he could back cancelling Brexit unilaterally to stop No Deal.

Both times he failed to rule it out. It comes after more than 800,000 backed a petition to revoke Article 50 - a prospect Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt claimed MPs could back next week.

Mr Corbyn spoke as he emerged from "very constructive discussions" with EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and European Commission secretary general Martin Selmayr this morning.

He met the EU chiefs hours before Theresa May was due to ask 27 leaders to delay Brexit to June 30 at the European Council.

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He said his priority was to defeat Theresa May's deal in a third vote on Tuesday and "build a majority" for his alternative, softer Brexit plan in Parliament, including a customs union.

Mr Corbyn also indicated he could back a bid for a second EU referendum next week, saying: “We are obviously considering what proposals we put to the British parliament next week"

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And he said "there was confusion over" a cross-party meeting with Theresa May, which he walked out of last night because Labour quitter MP Chuka Umunna was there.

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He added he had a "separate and extensive” discussion by phone wiht the PM later, lasting 20 minutes, and is arranging to meet her one-on-one next week.

Article 50 is the name of the legal process that set the two-year countdown to Brexit. Courts have ruled the UK can revoke it unilaterally, cancelling Brexit or putting it off indefinitely without EU permission, if the government of the day chooses to.

Asked if he would consider revoking Article 50 if it was the only way to stop No Deal kicking in next Friday, Mr Corbyn replied: "These are hypotheticals.

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"As far as we’re concerned, we think there’s an urgency in constructing a majority for an agreeable solution and that’s what we’re concentrating on at the moment."

Asked a second time if he would rule out revoking Article 50 to buy more time, he said: "We think that what we’re proposing can be achieved in the British parliament.

"We do believe we can construct a majority which will prevent the crashing out and all the chaos that will come from crashing out.

"That is what we’re absolutely focused on."

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Mr Corbyn said "we got a lot nearer last time than we did on previous occasions" to getting Labour's version of a deal through.

The Labour leader added: "Our determination is to prevent a no-deal exit from the European Union next Friday.

"We are therefore looking for alternatives and building a majority in Parliament that can agree on a future constructive economic relationship with the European Union.

"We've been discussing how this could come about and trying to reach out here as both Keir (Starmer) and myself have been reaching out to colleagues in all parties in the UK Parliament."

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Accompanied by shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Corbyn said: "This morning's meetings have been positive and we have done what I believe the Government ought to be doing - instead of bringing back a twice-rejected deal to the British Parliament, looking for constructive solutions."

Asked if he would put the country first and back the PM's deal he said: "The PM’s deal has been flatly rejected twice by the British parliament.

"We do not believe it is a way forward and therefore we are looking for an alternative that can command a majority in Parliament."

A Labour spokeswoman later said: "As we have always said, we respect the result of the referendum and will do whatever is necessary to prevent a no deal outcome.

"We do not believe that revoking Article 50 is in any way necessary."