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Splits at the top of the Labour Party emerged today as chief whip Nick Brown defied Jeremy Corbyn to say that he wants to stay in the EU.

In an email to one of his constituents he disclosed that he is personally in favour of halting Brexit by revoking Article 50 if the only other option is no deal.

He wrote he would also back another Brexit vote where “remain in the EU” is an option on the ballot paper. The 2017 Labour Party manifesto endorses Brexit and Mr Corbyn has been criticised heavily by his MPs for not explicitly backing a second referendum and instead saying he favours a Labour-led “jobs first” Brexit or a general election.

Mr Brown wrote to a constituent called Scott in his Newcastle East seat on Friday, who then published his response on his Twitter account.

The senior Labour figure, who was also chief whip under Gordon Brown, wrote: “On the question of leaving with no deal, or revoking Article 50, I would personally favour revoking Article 50.”

He also wrote: “I do believe there is a strong argument for a confirmatory ballot on a Brexit deal and the option of remaining in the EU. I am a moderate Remainer and believe that continued membership of the EU is in the national interest. In such a ballot, as in the 2016 referendum, I would campaign and vote to Remain in the EU.”

Labour has said repeatedly that it respects the result of the 2016 EU referendum, but a source claimed Mr Brown’s backing was in line with the party’s conference policy agreed in 2018.

A senior Lib Dem source said: “We welcome Nick Brown’s late conversation. We urge him to have the courage to speak up publicly to make his view known, even if it puts his job as Corbyn’s chief whip in jeopardy.”