Sir Keir Starmer contradicts Jeremy Corbyn by insisting Brexit can still be halted

Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer has said Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union can still be halted.

In the event of a no-deal Brexit, Sir Keir said “all options must be on the table” – including a second referendum.

His comments appeared to be at odds with party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who said last week in an interview with a German magazine “we can’t stop Brexit”.

The Labour leader has also rejected a call by former transport minister Jo Johnson – who quit in protest at the Government’s Brexit policy – for a second referendum.

However, Sir Keir insisted the Labour leadership was fully signed up to the position agreed at the party’s annual conference in Liverpool – including the option of another referendum.

“Brexit can be stopped. But the real question is: what are the decisions we are going to face over the next few weeks and months?” he told Sky News.

“Decision one is on the deal. Decision two is if the deal goes down, should there be a general election? And decision three is, if there is no general election, all options must be on the table including the option of a public vote.

“That is the clear position. Jeremy is signed up to it. I’m signed up to that.”

Mr Corbyn angered some Labour MPs over the weekend when he was asked whether there should be another referendum and replied: “Not really, no”, as “the referendum took place”.

Sir Keir acknowledged there were some “slightly different voices” within the party on the issue, but insisted “everybody has coalesced” around a common position.

“Insofar as he (Mr Corbyn) says the referendum took place, of course he is right about that,” he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

“But on this question of options on the table, we had a long, long discussion about it and we did agree all options to remain on the table, including the option of a public vote.

“Neither Jeremy nor anyone else has altered that position, that is the position of the Labour Party.”

He added: “The Labour Party has a healthy discussion. But did we reach an agreement? Yes we did. Are we sticking to it? Yes we are.”