REVEALED: Labour MPs demanding Corbyn backs second Brexit referendum - full list of 71
JEREMY Corbyn has been urged to support a second Brexit referendum by scores of Labour MPs and MEPs just hours ahead of the vote of no confidence tabled by the Labour leader.
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A total of 71 Labour MPs have revealed in a letter that going back to Brussels to negotiate a new Brexit deal is “not a realistic prospect” and urged Mr Corbyn to openly back a second vote on Brexit if Theresa May survives tonight's vote of no confidence. The demand has been backed also by 13 MEPs. The exact number of Labour MPs supporting this option is not known. But the signatories of the letter claim there are many politicians ready to come out and back a second vote if the Prime Minister retains a majority of the House of Commons.
The rebel Labour MPs wrote: “This is an unprecedented and perilous moment in our history.
“The Tory Government approach has been disastrous since day one. Their plans would lead to more austerity, fewer jobs and less money for our public services.
“This is not what anyone voted for in 2016.
“We represent hugely diverse constituencies from the North to the South, from Wales to Scotland.
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“Many of our constituencies voted to Leave in 2016. We must listen to and respond to the reasons why people did so.
“But we now face a moment of national crisis, where the facts and the views of many people have changed - and are continuing to change.
"It is now clear renegotiation is not a realistic prospect.
“No deal would be a catastrophe which we must resolutely oppose. The Government should seek an extension to Article 50 to provide time for Parliament to find a way forward.
“Labour’s conference adopted a clear policy for this situation.
“We must try and remove this Government from office as soon as possible. But the removal of the Government and pushing for a General Election may prove impossible, so we must join Trade Unions, our members and a majority of our constituents by then unequivocally backing the only logical option to help our country move forward: putting the decision back to the people for a final say, in a public vote, with the option to stay and keep the deal that we have.”
Among the MPs now backing the second referendum, which could overturn the outcome of the June 23, 2016 vote, are Liz Kendall, John Grogan, Kate Green and Margaret Hodge.
The letter was signed also by former shadow work and pensions secretary Debbie Abrahams, who had previously branded a new referendum “extremely unhelpful”.
However, even if the party was united in calling for a second referendum, they would still need the support of at least 40 Conservative MPs to see their proposal go through Parliament.
This letter is in accordance with a motion agreed at the party’s national conference in September, which presented a second referendum as one of the many “options on the table” regarding Brexit.
However, the Labour Party would prefer winning tonight’s vote and lead the country to a new general election in a bid to win the majority in Parliament.
But if Mrs May’s survives the no confidence vote, scheduled at 7pm tonight, Remain-backing MPs said Mr Corbyn should then fully support calls for a second referendum.
During this morning's PMQs, Mr Corbyn failed to say if he supported leave or remain within the European Union.
Full list of 71 MPs signing the letter:
1. Debbie Abrahams MP
2. Rushanara Ali MP
3. Tonia Antoniazzi MP
4. Luciana Berger MP
5. Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP
6. Roberta Blackman-Woods MP
7. Ben Bradshaw MP
8. Karen Buck MP
9. Chris Bryant MP
10. Ruth Cadbury MP
11. Ann Clwyd MP
12. Ann Coffey MP
13. Neil Coyle MP
14. Mary Creagh MP
15. Alex Cunningham MP
16. Janet Daby MP
17. Geraint Davies MP
18. Stephen Doughty MP
19. Rosie Duffield MP
20. Louise Ellman MP
21. Mike Gapes MP
22. Kate Green MP
23. Lillian Greenwood MP
24. John Grogan MP
25. Rupa Huq MP
26. Margaret Hodge MP
27. Darren Jones MP
28. Maria Eagle MP
29. Susan Elan Jones MP
30. Julie Elliott MP
31. Graham Jones MP
32. Liz Kendall MP
33. Ged Killen MP
34. Peter Kyle MP
35. David Lammy MP
36. Chris Leslie MP
37. Seema Malhotra MP
38. Kerry McCarthy MP
39. Siobhan McDonagh MP
40. Pat McFadden MP
41. Conor McGinn MP
42. Alison McGovern MP
43. Anna McMorrin MP
44. Catherine McKinnell MP
45. Madeleine Moon MP
46. Stephen Morgan MP
47. Ian Murray MP
48. Albert Owen MP
49. Bridget Phillipson MP
50. Jess Phillips MP
51. Ellie Reeves MP
52. Rachel Reeves MP
53. Joan Ryan MP
54. Virendra Sharma MP
55. Barry Sheerman MP
56. Gavin Shuker MP
57. Tulip Siddiq MP
58. Andy Slaughter MP
59. Angela C. Smith MP
60. Owen Smith MP
61. Jo Stevens MP
62. Wes Streeting MP
63. Gareth Thomas MP
64. Stephen Timms MP
65. Anna Turley MP
66. Chuka Umunna MP
67. Matt Western MP
68. Martin Whitfield MP
69. Paul Williams MP
70. Phil Wilson MP
71. Daniel Zeichner MP
Full list of 13 MEPs signing the letter:
1. Richard Corbett MEP (Leader of EPLP / Shadow Cabinet)
2. Derek Vaughan MEP
3. Seb Dance MEP
4. Paul Brannen MEP
5. Catherine Stihler MEP
6. Wajid Khan MEP
7. Julie Ward MEP
8. Clare Moody MEP
9. John Howarth MEP
10. Theresa Griffin MEP
11. Jude Kirton Darling MEP
12. David Martin MEP
13. Mary Honeyball MEP