Brexit could be poised to tear Labour apart after a poll showed that more than 80 per cent of party members oppose Jeremy Corbyn’s plan to take the UK out of the European single market.

Almost 70 per cent of members polled said they thought Britain should definitely stay in the trade bloc while a further fifth of members answered “more yes than no” to the question and just four per cent backed leaving the arrangement entirely.

Meanwhile, the same research also found that a majority of Labour members want a second referendum on Brexit.

Both positions contradict official Labour policy with Mr Corbyn’s Brexit plan based on the UK leaving the single market but retaining access to it while the party leadership has no intention of offering another Brexit vote.