Keir Starmer has confirmed that an amendment will be brought next week calling for a referendum on Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal.
The shadow Brexit secretary said Labour will push for a new EU referendum when the Government brings its Brexit plans to the Commons in the coming days.
He also said the party could back Boris Johnson’s deal if a new national poll was attached to it.
Any deal “should be subject to a referendum”
Sir Keir insisted that any agreement approved by Parliament needed to be put to voters in a referendum and the party would back an amendment calling for one.
The Labour heavyweight told BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show: “We need an amendment to say that whatever deal gets through, it should be subject to a referendum.
“We have already voted, I think, three times as a party for a second referendum with a three-line whip behind it.
“The position we have adopted is whatever the outcome, whether it’s Boris Johnson’s bad deal or a better one which could be secured, it has got to go to a referendum up against remain.”
Government’s deal
Asked if Labour could back the Government’s deal if it came with the pledge of a new referendum, Sir Keir said: “Well, we’ll see what that looks like.
“What we are trying to achieve is that this deal in particular, but any deal, is put up against Remain in a referendum.
“And we will have to see tactically how we get there.”
Sir Keir said Labour would also push for a customs union.
He said: “We have been arguing for a very long time now for a customs union with the EU and for single market alignment.”
Related: Labour says Johnson could be in contempt of Parliament after Brexit letter
