Jeremy Corbyn orders Labour MPs to vote for Brexit after reports of rebels who were set to DEFY the referendum result
The Labour said today he will force MPs to vote in favour of starting the Brexit process if a vote comes to the Commons
JEREMY Corbyn has ordered his MPs to vote in favour of triggering Article 50 if a vote comes to Parliament, after reports that some of his Shadow Cabinet were set to vote against it.
Several members of his team said they were deliberating over the issue - because of fears of what their Remainer constituents will think.
The Government are set to table a Bill in Parliament next week if the Supreme Court rules that Theresa May must give MPs and peers a vote before formally triggering Article 50.
But a number of Shadow Cabinet ministers are concerned about what their Remain-backing constituents will think of them if they do - Labour's shadow cabinet is split between areas who voted to leave, and those who opted to Remain.
One Shadow Minister told the : "I'm concerned that if we wave Article 50 through, my constituents will go crazy."
Another said: "When the pain hits, as it will, and when people lose their jobs, you need to be on the right side of that. I don’t think we should vote to trigger article 50."
Tory MP Dominic Raab slammed the reports, and said that Labour had backed the EU referendum which put the decision to the people.
He said: "It's unbelievable that members of Jeremy Corbyn's top team are now plotting to vote to ignore the result if they get the chance.
"The Prime Minister has set out a comprehensive plan to build a global Britain as we exit the EU that has commanded wide support. Labour is too divided and incompetent even to agree to respect the decision people have already made."
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Mr Corbyn said today that Labour "respects the decision of the British people" to leave the EU and his party "will not block Article 50".
"All Labour MPs will be asked to vote in that direction next week," he added.
The comments show a deep rift forming within the Labour party about its response to Brexit and its policies on immigration.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry last weekend said Labour would not "die in a ditch" to protect freedom of movement, but Mr Corbyn has said his position on immigration hasn't changed.
His chaotic relaunch last week is reflected in fresh polling today which shows the Tories taking a whopping 17-point lead over Labour.
Labour's shadow cabinet - and how their areas voted
Jeremy Corbyn - 75% of people in Islington voted to REMAIN
John McDonnell - 56% of people in Hillingdon voted to LEAVE
Emily Thornberry - 75% of people in Islington voted to REMAIN
Tom Watson - 66% of people in Sandwell voted to LEAVE
Diane Abbott - 78% of people in Hackney voted to REMAIN
Jon Trickett - 66% of people in Wakefield voted to LEAVE
Rachael Maskell - 58% of people in York voted to REMAIN
Rebecca Long Bailey - 58% of people in Salford voted to LEAVE
Clive Lewis - 56% of people in Norwich voted to REMAIN
Cat Smith - 51% of people in Lancaster voted to LEAVE
Richard Burgon - 50.3% of people in Leeds voted to REMAIN
Keir Starmer - 74% of people in Camden voted to REMAIN
Kate Osamor - 55% of people in Enfield voted to REMAIN
Angela Rayner - 61% of people in Tameside voted to LEAVE
Valerie Vaz - 67% of people in Walsall voted to LEAVE
Teresa Pearce - 63% of people in Bexley voted to LEAVE
Andy McDonald - 65% of people in Middlesborough voted to LEAVE
Sarah Champion - 67% of people in Rotherham voted to LEAVE
Ian Lavery - 54% of people in Northumberland voted to LEAVE
Nicholas Brown - 50.7% of people in Newcastle-upon-Tyne voted to REMAIN
John Healey - 67% of people in Rotherham voted to LEAVE
Nia Griffith - 53% of people in Camarthenshire voted to LEAVE
Jonathan Ashworth - 51% of people in Leicester voted to REMAIN
David Anderson - 56% of people in Gateshead voted to LEAVE
Barry Gardiner - 59% of people in Brent voted to REMAIN
* EU Referendum results were collated via local authority, not individual MP constituencies
Labour councillors and MPs have repeatedly demanded the leader take a tougher line on immigration to stand a chance of winning in the 2020 election.
Mr Corbyn was set to change his tune and say Labour was no longer "wedded" to the idea of freedom of movement, but the next day said he did not want to rule it out either.
23 MPs voted against the Government's timetable for triggering Article 50 in a symbolic vote at the end of last year - but Mr Corbyn has said since then that Labour would not seek to block a Brexit Bill in the Commons.