text: Jeremy Corbyn warned Labour may lose heartlands with fresh Brexit vote - Mirror Online
  Jeremy Corbyn warned Labour may lose heartlands with fresh Brexit vote
  The Labour leader dropped a welcome bombshell with news tonight that he would throw his weight behind a second referendum - but there are fears he may damage electoral chances in key Leave-voting marginals
  22:41, 25 FEB 2019
  Updated 09:45, 26 FEB 2019
  Senior Labour figures have warned that more MPs are likely to walk out the party (Image: AFP/Getty Images)
  Jeremy Corbyn last night vowed Labour would do everything it could to stop ­Britain crashing out of the EU with a no-deal he warned would be disastrous for the country.
  And the Labour leader finally backed a plan for a second referendum, despite fears it could cost him vital votes.
  Mr Corbyn has come under growing pressure from Remain MPs to support a fresh vote on Europe in a bid to block Theresa May 's feared no-deal.
  After being accused of dithering over the decision, he nailed his colours to the mast at a party meeting.
  Mr Corbyn told them: "The Prime Minister is recklessly running down the clock, in an attempt to force MPs to choose between her botched deal and a ­disastrous no-deal. We cannot and will not accept.
  A second referendum remains an unlikely prospect as it does not have the numbers in Parliament (Image: AFP/Getty Images)
  "One way or another, we will do ­everything in our power to prevent no-deal and oppose a damaging Tory Brexit based on Theresa May's rejected deal.
  "That's why we are committed to also putting forward or supporting an amendment in favour of a public vote to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit being forced on the country."
  A senior Labour source confirmed: "We would rather vote for a second referendum than for her botched deal."
  Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry claimed any fresh vote would be Remain versus the PM's Brexit deal. And she said a second referendum will "break the logjam".
  Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said a fresh vote would be between Remain and May's Brexit deal (Image: PA)
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  She said: "What she [Theresa May] wants to do is just get herself into a position whereby she says, 'It's my deal or no-deal.'
  "We think both of those are disastrous and should go before the people."
  Tottenham MP David Lammy added: " Jeremy Corbyn is today taking the first step to reunite our party by showing he is listening to our voters and members on this, the biggest issue of our time."
  But critics accused Mr Corbyn of ignoring the ­referendum result.
  Bassetlaw MP John Mann warned him that people in the North "would never vote Labour again".
  Don Valley MP Caroline Flint said: "We cannot ignore the millions of Labour voters who voted Leave."
  Corbyn has come under pressure from figures such as Keir Starmer (pictured), Tom Watson and John McDonnell (Image: AFP/Getty Images)
  But last week, eight Labour MPs quit the party claiming Mr Corbyn's Brexit policy was a key factor. There were fears of more ­defections and he has come under pressure from figures such as Keir Starmer, Tom Watson and John McDonnell.
  Mr Corbyn's frontbench has been split on Brexit, with around a dozen Shadow ministers thought likely to resign to vote against, while the vast majority of Labour members back a People's Vote.
  Not long until crunch time
  The party will table an amendment on its Brexit plan today which includes the UK staying in a customs union.
  Mr Corbyn is not expected to push for a vote on a second referendum until Mrs May's EU exit deal returns on March 12.