Boris Johnson's opponents move to force a second Brexit referendum as hopes for a deal fade
- The opposition Labour party signal they will back a second referendum on Boris Johnson's deal.
- Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary says that the "best way through" was to "test public opinion" by holding a ballot which offers voters the choice to remain in the EU or to leave with a negotiated deal Boris Johnson brings back from Brussels.
- Labour sources confirm that the party will back a public vote on any Brexit deal.
- Hopes were fading that Johnson would be able to secure a deal by the end of Thursday.
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LONDON - The prospects of a second Brexit referendum increased dramatically on Thursday after a Labour minister indicated that the opposition party will instruct its MPs to back moved to hold a public vote on Boris Johnson's proposed deal.
Labour's shadow Northern Ireland minister Lloyd Evans, said the "best way through" was to "test public opinion" by holding a ballot which offers voters the choice to remain in the EU or to leave with a negotiated deal Boris Johnson brings back from Brussels.
A senior Labour source told Business Insider that the party now believed "any deal should be subject to a public vote."
The prime minister is hoping to secure a revised Brexit agreement by the end of the day, which would allow EU leaders to sign it off tomorrow and set up a historic sitting of parliament on Saturday, where he would ask MPs to approve his plan.
However, hopes faded on Thursday that Johnson would be able to secure a deal in such a tight timeframe after the Democratic Unionist Party, his governing partners, said they could still not back his proposals.
Rebel Conservative MPs could also make their support for a deal dependent on Johnson allowing a second referendum.
Read more: Boris Johnson's Brexit hopes dashed after his DUP partners reject deal with the EU
Many Labour MPs have said that they would only be willing to back the deal if it was attached to a confirmatory public vote, and plan to table an amendment to Saturday's vote, insisting that a deal will only be approved if it wins majority support in a referendum, which Labour appears increasingly likely to whip their MPs in favour of.
Jeremy Corbyn, Labour's leader, has resisted the plan for a second referendum, insisting that the party's policy is to push for a general election instead.
But he has appeared increasingly isolated, with several frontbenchers, including Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer making it clear they would back a second referendum on Johnson's deal.
A Labour source confirmed that the party believes any deal should be subject to a public vote, but said it would not adopt a formal position until Johnson's plans for the parliamentary sitting on Saturday had become clear.
Parliament is likely to approve the motion for an extraordinary weekend sitting later today.