Andy Burnham would campaign to leave the EU in a second referendum - if Labour secured a new Brexit deal.

Greater Manchester's mayor said he believes it would be in the 'public interest' to back a deal to help 'the country move forward'.

The former Labour MP for Leigh said politicians would face a backlash from the public if they did not respect the result of the 2016 vote.

His comments were immediately seized upon tonight by the opposition Lib Dems who claimed Mr Burnham had exposed himself as a 'Leaver and far more bothered about keeping his own job than protecting the millions of jobs at risk from leaving the EU.'

In an interview on ITV's 'Calling Peston' podcast, Mr Burnham was asked whether he would campaign to Leave or Remain in the event Labour wins the election and calls a second EU referendum.

"It would depend on the type of deal that is done," he said.

(Image: Getty Images)

"If it was a Labour deal, I think it's possible that I would probably go for the deal... what I'm picking up, in my former constituency for example, is huge anger at the political class.

"I'm not sure this is fully understood in Westminster.

"People are saying 'if they don't respect how I voted, my faith in this country will be gone'.

"There's a real strength of feeling on that side of this debate and, as I say, I saw a second referendum as a final resort to prevent a No Deal Brexit, and... if it was that, if it was a choice between No Deal or Remain, I would absolutely, wholeheartedly campaign for Remain.

"But if we get a deal that, you know, keeps us pretty close, with a customs union, I think the public interest will lie, in my view, in supporting that and helping the country move forward."

Labour's position on Brexit has come under intense scrutiny during the election campaign.

The leader of the party Jeremy Corbyn has promised to negotiate a new Brexit deal with the EU and put it to a public vote alongside the option of Remain.

However, Mr Corbyn has confirmed he would maintain a neutral stance in the referendum.

Defending his position, Mr Corbyn said last weekend: "My role as the Labour prime minister would be to ensure that [another referendum] is carried out in a fair way, that the offers put are fair, and that I will carry out the result of that referendum.

"I think this is actually a sensible way forward that can bring people together."

As mayor of Greater Manchester, former Health Secretary Mr Burnham said his role in the current election campaign is 'different'.

Rather than being a 'combatant', Mr Burnham said his duty is to advocate for the region and the North of England more broadly.

He said the North-South divide was 'at the heart' of the referendum result in 2016, adding: "We have a country that's run more for some places than it is others.

"Until Westminster really faces up to that I don't think we're going to bring this country back together."

(Image: Joel Goodman)

But it was Mr Burnham's comments on a potential second referendum that are likely to spark more debate on Labour's Brexit position.

Tonight they were slammed by the opposition Lib Dems who are campaigning on a pledge to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit altogether.