Andy Burnham has become the first senior Labour figure to indicate he will campaign for Leave if the party succeeds in forcing a fresh Brexit referendum.
The mayor of Greater Manchester broke with colleagues – most of whom are committed to backing Remain – to say it would be in “the public interest” to leave the EU with a new, better deal.
“If we get a deal that, you know, keeps us pretty close, with a customs union, I think the public interest will lie, in my view, in supporting that and helping the country move forward,” Mr Burnham said.
The statement comes after Jeremy Corbyn was criticised for saying he would adopt “a neutral stance” in the referendum he has pledged to hold by next June, if he wins the general election.
His most senior colleagues – John McDonnell, Emily Thornberry, Diane Abbott and Keir Starmer – have all made clear they would expect to campaign for Remain.
But Mr Burnham warned of a public backlash against politicians if they did not respect the result of the 2016 vote to leave the EU.
Speaking on ITV's 'Calling Peston' podcast, he said he was picking up “huge anger at the political class” on the doorstep.
“I'm not sure this is fully understood in Westminster,” the mayor argued, adding “people are saying 'if they don't respect how I voted, my faith in this country will be gone'.
Mr Burnham said his position would “depend on the type of deal that is done,”, but added: “If it was a Labour deal, I think it's possible that I would probably go for the deal.”
Mr Corbyn’s decision to sit on the fence overturned plans for Labour to stage a special conference to agree whether to back Remain or Leave, after negotiating a ‘softer Brexit’ deal with the EU.
Mr McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, then announced that all Labour politicians would be able to make their own choice, rather than follow a party line.
Tom Brake , the Liberal Democrats’ Brexit spokesman, seized on Mr Burnham’s comments, saying: “Any form of Brexit, whether red or blue, will make Britain’s economy weaker and people poorer.
“But despite that reality, we have Corbyn's leadership vacuum and Burnham committed to Leave. It is clear only a vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to stop Brexit.”
The Greater Manchester mayor sought to clarify his comments, adding on Twitter: “I was asked a direct question and I try to give direct answers.
“It’s consistent with the position I’ve always taken – that a deal keeping us as close as possible to the EU is the best compromise out of this, avoiding social damage of a 2nd referendum.”
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