JEREMY CORBYN was savaged yesterday after ducking SEVEN TIMES whether he is campaigning to Leave or Remain in the EU.
And the Labour leader sparked fury by also appearing to rip up the party’s promise to put a stop to sky-high EU immigration.
In a car crash TV interview, he said a future Labour Government could “negotiate” a deal that keeps EU free movement in place if Britain does eventually cut ties with Brussels.
But he plunged the party’s chaotic position on Brexit into deeper turmoil by admitting Labour was trying to appeal to those who voted Leave and Remain in 2016. Challenged by BBC presenter Andrew Marr whether he backed Brexit or not, he refused to give a straight answer.
Asked if he was “in or out”, Mr Corbyn snapped: “You present the whole thing as though it’s a rerun or 2016, it’s not.”
At one stage, he indicated it was wrong to say voters in Thursday’s Euro Elections should vote Labour to get a referendum.
We can’t keep going on sitting on the fence, we have to back one side or the other
He said: “A fair assessment would be to say ‘Vote Labour, challenge austerity and living standards for the future’.”
Minutes earlier said it would be “reasonable” to have a public vote on proposals that guarantee trade and relations with Europe.
Party sources within the hour insisted a General Election remained Labour’s first aim. The interview came as a new poll showed the Lib Dems had leapfrogged Labour into second place in voting intention for this Thursday’s elections.
The Brexit Party topped the YouGov poll on 34 per cent, but the anti-Brexit Lib Dems were second on 17 per cent with Labour third on 15 per cent.
The Greens were fourth on 11 per cent with the Tories FIFTH on 9.
A senior Labour MP branded the performance “awful” and said the party had to make its mind up. Labour HQ is split between those backing a second referendum – and those who believe the party will never win a General Election if they back one and alienate working-class voters.
The MP said: “We can’t keep going on sitting on the fence, we have to back one side or the other. Personally I think it should be a soft Brexit.”
Brexit Party chief Nigel Farage stormed: “Corbyn is betraying Labour voters as much as Mrs May has betrayed Labour voters.”
Labour pulled the plug on cross-party talks with Theresa May on Friday.
Downing Street said Jeremy Corbyn had caved to pressure from People’s Vote supporters including Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer.
Naomi Smith, the interim chief of anti-Brexit campaign group Best for Britain said: “Labour are losing far more voters to pro-European parties ahead of Thursday’s European elections than to Brexit parties.
“That’s why the leadership must unambiguously swing behind the only solution to this Brexit crisis; going back to the public and giving them the final say on whether to leave or keep our EU membership.”
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