Jeremy Corbyn to throw Labour’s weight behind delaying Brexit in crunch Commons vote

Matt Dathan

Published: 23:59, 28 Jan 2019
Updated: 0:00, 29 Jan 2019

JEREMY Corbyn will today throw Labour's full weight behind delaying Brexit and pave the way for a second referendum.

He will order Labour’s 256 MPs to vote for two Brexit-wrecking proposals in tonight's Commons votes – sparking fresh infighting with furious backbench MPs who want to leave the EU on time.

Jeremy Corbyn may see support for the Brexit amendment as a way to smash Brexit completelyCredit: Getty Images - Getty

Labour’s backing will give a major boost to the chance of Yvette Cooper’s amendment passing, which would delay our EU departure by up to nine months and hand the Commons power over the future direction of Brexit.

And the party will also back an amendment by Tory Remainer Dominic Grieve that would hand MPs a weekly vote on Brexit options - including the opportunity to reverse it altogether.

But the decision to whip in favour of the two anti-Brexit motions sparked outrage with backbenchers who represent Leave-voting constituencies.

A group of between 10-15 MPs confronted Labour’s chief whip Nick Brown in his office last night demanding him explain the decision. Sources said the group included some of Mr Corbyn’s biggest leftie supporters.

One furious insider said: “How are we going to explain this when we claim not to be blocking Brexit but we’re effectively going to kick it into the long grass.”