The leader of the United Kingdom's opposition Labour party on Tuesday challenged the future prime minister to organise a people's vote on any Brexit deal and to include Remain in the ballot, saying his party would campaign for that option.
"The Labour Party will now challenge whoever emerges as the leader of the Conservative Party to have the confidence to put their deal to the people in a referendum, with remain on the ballot, in which Labour would campaign for remain," Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote in a letter sent out to members of his party.
As both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, the two final contenders in the ongoing leadership race, threaten to tip Brexit in the direction of no-deal in light of the EU's firm no renegotiation stance, Corbyn said Labour would fight back against such an outcome.
"I want to make it clear that Labour would campaign for Remain against either no-deal or a Tory deal that does not protect the economy and jobs," the letter read.
Corbyn's letter comes hours before Johnson and Hunt are set to face-off in their first head-to-head televised debate.
The letter follows years of uncertainty regarding the party's official Brexit stance, partly attributed to Corbyn's pro-Leave stance.
But some party members criticised the letter, saying Corbyn in it had steered clear of committing Labour to adopt a pro-Remain stance as the party continued to attempt ousting the Conservatives by pushing for a General Election.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
