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Leeds Live
Leeds Live
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Press Association & Samantha Gildea

Leeds MP Hilary Benn says any Brexit deal should be put to referendum

A Leeds MP has called for any Brexit deal to be put to a public referendum for a final decision.

Hilary Benn, MP for Leeds Central and chair of the Brexit select committee, told BBC News Prime Minister Theresa May needed to put any deal, which he said should include a customs union, to a confirmatory referendum.

He said the Prime Minister should present her leave deal to the British public and tell them " there aren't any other leave deals so whatever you were promised in a referendum was never possible - to keep all your sovereignty and all your economic benefits".

"That was never the choice and the last two and three-quarter years has proved that to have been a fantasy," he said.

"If on reflection you don't like that then the UK would remain.

"People could vote leave again or they could vote remain, they can change their mind or not change their mind, but that would be a way of getting a final decision."

Theresa May is expected to meet Jeremy Corbyn for talks in an attempt to "break the logjam" over Brexit, prompting fury among Eurosceptic Tories.

Mrs May said on Tuesday that she would seek an extension beyond next week to allow negotiations with the Labour leader aimed at ensuring the UK leaves the European Union "in a timely and orderly way".

Mr Corbyn said he would be "very happy" to meet the Prime Minister in a bid to offer "certainty and security" to the British people, but Tory Brexiteers reacted with anger.

Jacob Rees-Mogg described the offer as "deeply unsatisfactory" and accused Mrs May of planning to collaborate with "a known Marxist".

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson said: "It is very disappointing that the Cabinet has decided to entrust the final handling of Brexit to Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party."

The DUP said it "remains to be seen if subcontracting out the future of Brexit to Jeremy Corbyn, someone whom the Conservatives have demonised for four years, will end happily".

Today the European Union will hold the first of a series of briefings on Brexit preparedness, while European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker will speak about the UK's withdrawal in Brussels.

If the European Council proposes an extension beyond May 22, it is understood that it would be possible for the UK to take the steps necessary to prepare for European Parliament elections on May 23, but then cancel them at the last minute if the withdrawal deal was ratified.

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay told the House of Commons Exiting the EU Committee that it was possible European Parliament elections might take place in the UK on May 23 in certain circumstances, though he stressed that this was not the Government's intention.

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