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| General election 2019: Corbyn defends 'neutral' Brexit stance | General election 2019: Corbyn defends 'neutral' Brexit stance |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn has defended his decision to adopt a neutral stance in a future Brexit referendum as "a sign of strength" and "maturity". | Jeremy Corbyn has defended his decision to adopt a neutral stance in a future Brexit referendum as "a sign of strength" and "maturity". |
| The Labour leader told a BBC Question Time leaders' special on Friday that he would not campaign for Leave or Remain if his party wins power. | The Labour leader told a BBC Question Time leaders' special on Friday that he would not campaign for Leave or Remain if his party wins power. |
| Prime Minister Boris Johnson questioned how Mr Corbyn could be "indifferent" on such a vital issue. | Prime Minister Boris Johnson questioned how Mr Corbyn could be "indifferent" on such a vital issue. |
| And Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson accused him of an "abdication of leadership". | And Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson accused him of an "abdication of leadership". |
| But Mr Corbyn said acting as an "honest broker" was a "sensible way forward". | But Mr Corbyn said acting as an "honest broker" was a "sensible way forward". |
| If he becomes prime minister, Mr Corbyn has promised to negotiate a new Brexit deal with the EU and put this to a public vote alongside the option of Remain. | If he becomes prime minister, Mr Corbyn has promised to negotiate a new Brexit deal with the EU and put this to a public vote alongside the option of Remain. |
| However, in Friday's programme he confirmed he would maintain a neutral stance in this referendum before carrying out the result. | However, in Friday's programme he confirmed he would maintain a neutral stance in this referendum before carrying out the result. |
| The BBC Question Time Leaders Special | The BBC Question Time Leaders Special |
| Speaking on a campaign visit to Sheffield on Saturday, Mr Corbyn said: "I think being an honest broker and listening to everyone is actually a sign of strength and a sign of maturity. | Speaking on a campaign visit to Sheffield on Saturday, Mr Corbyn said: "I think being an honest broker and listening to everyone is actually a sign of strength and a sign of maturity. |
| "Our country has to come together - we can't go on forever being divided by how people voted in 2016. | "Our country has to come together - we can't go on forever being divided by how people voted in 2016. |
| "My role as the Labour prime minister would be to ensure that [another referendum] is carried out in a fair way, that the offers put are fair, and that I will carry out the result of that referendum. | "My role as the Labour prime minister would be to ensure that [another referendum] is carried out in a fair way, that the offers put are fair, and that I will carry out the result of that referendum. |
| "I think this is actually a sensible way forward that can bring people together." | "I think this is actually a sensible way forward that can bring people together." |
| What have the other parties said? | What have the other parties said? |
| Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Mr Corbyn's stance "won't wash" with voters, adding that the Labour leader had "decided to be indecisive" on the "critical question of our times". | Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Mr Corbyn's stance "won't wash" with voters, adding that the Labour leader had "decided to be indecisive" on the "critical question of our times". |
| "You can't ask the public to be prime minister of this country when you can't even make your mind up on Brexit," he told the BBC. | "You can't ask the public to be prime minister of this country when you can't even make your mind up on Brexit," he told the BBC. |
| Speaking during Friday's Question Time special, Mr Johnson said the Labour leader's ambition to negotiate a new Brexit deal would be undermined by his neutral stance. | Speaking during Friday's Question Time special, Mr Johnson said the Labour leader's ambition to negotiate a new Brexit deal would be undermined by his neutral stance. |
| "I don't see how he can do a deal when he is going to be neutral or indifferent," he said. | "I don't see how he can do a deal when he is going to be neutral or indifferent," he said. |
| During a campaign visit in west London on Saturday, Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said Mr Corbyn's position was "astonishing". | During a campaign visit in west London on Saturday, Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said Mr Corbyn's position was "astonishing". |
| "On the biggest issue faced for a generation, they are not going to take a position," she said. | "On the biggest issue faced for a generation, they are not going to take a position," she said. |
| "Remainers in this country need a leader, not a bystander." | "Remainers in this country need a leader, not a bystander." |
| Speaking in Hartlepool, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said Mr Corbyn had shown a "failure of leadership" on "the defining issue of our day". | |
| It's not clear if the lively grilling of major politicians will shift the dial at this election. | It's not clear if the lively grilling of major politicians will shift the dial at this election. |
| But it certainly marked a shift in Jeremy Corbyn's position on Brexit. | But it certainly marked a shift in Jeremy Corbyn's position on Brexit. |
| He had been put under pressure by his opponents to say whether he would support Leave or Remain in the new referendum Labour is promising. | He had been put under pressure by his opponents to say whether he would support Leave or Remain in the new referendum Labour is promising. |
| So he tried to eliminate a negative by providing clarity, of a sort: a clear commitment to stay neutral. | So he tried to eliminate a negative by providing clarity, of a sort: a clear commitment to stay neutral. |
| Labour's strategists are suggesting he could now be seen as an honest broker that can bring a divided country together. | Labour's strategists are suggesting he could now be seen as an honest broker that can bring a divided country together. |
| In truth, though, behind the scenes there are fears that the party may have over-estimated the threat from the Lib Dems and underestimated the importance voters in Leave areas attach to delivering Brexit. | In truth, though, behind the scenes there are fears that the party may have over-estimated the threat from the Lib Dems and underestimated the importance voters in Leave areas attach to delivering Brexit. |
| So his neutrality is in part an attempt to reassure those voters that his promised referendum isn't the means of cancelling Brexit by the back door. | So his neutrality is in part an attempt to reassure those voters that his promised referendum isn't the means of cancelling Brexit by the back door. |
| His followers will say he has risen above the fray; his critics - that he has become more decisive about sitting on the fence. | His followers will say he has risen above the fray; his critics - that he has become more decisive about sitting on the fence. |
| What else is happening on the campaign trail today? | |
| While visiting the Design Museum in Kensington, Ms Swinson also defended the Liberal Democrats' policy of stopping Brexit altogether if they win the general election. | While visiting the Design Museum in Kensington, Ms Swinson also defended the Liberal Democrats' policy of stopping Brexit altogether if they win the general election. |
| The Lib Dem leader was challenged over the party's policy to revoke Article 50 by both Leave and Remain voters in Friday's Question Time special. | The Lib Dem leader was challenged over the party's policy to revoke Article 50 by both Leave and Remain voters in Friday's Question Time special. |
| She said: "If we go from 20 Lib Dem MPs to 326 Lib Dem MPs that will be a democratic mandate. | She said: "If we go from 20 Lib Dem MPs to 326 Lib Dem MPs that will be a democratic mandate. |
| "That will be a big big boost for the Liberal Democrats and I think people will recognise that will be a seismic event." | "That will be a big big boost for the Liberal Democrats and I think people will recognise that will be a seismic event." |
| "If we don't we're going to keep campaigning for a people's vote to stop Brexit," she added. | |
| Away from Brexit, Mr Corbyn has unveiled Labour's "youth manifesto" - called The Future Is Ours - at a rally in Loughborough. | Away from Brexit, Mr Corbyn has unveiled Labour's "youth manifesto" - called The Future Is Ours - at a rally in Loughborough. |
| The document includes: | The document includes: |
| Earlier he met workers outside an Amazon depot in Sheffield, where the Labour leader promised to end zero-hour contracts. | Earlier he met workers outside an Amazon depot in Sheffield, where the Labour leader promised to end zero-hour contracts. |
| He also vowed to force multinational companies to pay their fair share of tax in the UK, with a promise to prevent them offshoring tax bills to "lower tax regimes". | He also vowed to force multinational companies to pay their fair share of tax in the UK, with a promise to prevent them offshoring tax bills to "lower tax regimes". |
| An Amazon spokesperson defended the company's record saying: "The government wrote the tax laws and they are designed to encourage investment, and we are investing heavily in creating jobs and infrastructure across the UK." | An Amazon spokesperson defended the company's record saying: "The government wrote the tax laws and they are designed to encourage investment, and we are investing heavily in creating jobs and infrastructure across the UK." |
| Meanwhile, the Conservatives have pledged to put an extra £83m a year into dementia research over the next decade. | Meanwhile, the Conservatives have pledged to put an extra £83m a year into dementia research over the next decade. |