Anna Soubry Says Corbyn Doesn’t Really Want A People’s Vote Because "Remain Would Win"

12 March 2019, 20:55 | Updated: 12 March 2019, 21:25

Jeremy Corbyn doesn’t really want a second referendum because he is a life-long Brexiteer and knows Remain would win, Anna Soubry claimed.

The now Independent MP said the Labour leader would also be forced to “pick a side” if the public were made to vote again on Brexit.

She spoke to Iain Dale after Theresa May’s Brexit deal was heavily defeated for a second time on Tuesday night.

391 MPs voted against the Withdrawal Agreement, 242 for - a majority of 149.

Ms Soubry, who quit the Conservative Party last month, said Labour now needs to “stop messing about” and back a so-called People’s Vote.

“But of course the problem in Jeremy Corbyn is, we have somebody who is a life-long Brexiteer, that’s the truth,” the MP for Broxtowe said.

“He is very happy for us to leave the European Union and he doesn’t want it to go back to the British people because I think he knows that they’ll vote Remain.

“He also knows if we do have a referendum he’s going to have a pick a side.”

Some 75 Conservative MPs rebelled to vote against the deal on Tuesday night, while just three Labour MPs and four independents joined the 235 Tories who backed it.

Mr Corbyn said tonight's result meant the Prime Minister's deal is "dead".

MPs will vote on a no-deal Brexit tomorrow, if that's rejected, they will be asked whether to extend Article 50.