Sign up here to receive the daily news briefing in your inbox every morning with exclusive insight from the BrexitCentral team Confusion over Labour Brexit stance as some report no shift in policy after crunch Shadow Cabinet meeting… Hopes of a fundamental Labour shift to full-throated support for a second Brexit referendum were dashed as a shadow cabinet meeting broke up without agreement on a new policy… Speaking to shadow cabinet, Mr Corbyn restated his existing position that “it is now right to demand that any deal is put to a public vote”, which could be a general election or a second referendum. And he said that any referendum ballot paper should contain “real choices for both leave and remain voters”. And he held out the possibility of an imminent speech to set out the party’s position on Brexit, saying he wanted to “set out our views to the public” after consulting with trade unions next week. But he stopped well short of agreeing to deputy leader Tom Watson’s call for Labour to leader a full-scale summer campaign for a Final Say referendum and support for Remain. – The Independent Jeremy Corbyn infuriates Brexiteers during crisis Labour meeting – Express Tom Watson says Labour will be ‘electoral history’ unless it campaigns to reverse Brexit – ITV News …while others suggest Labour has switched to backing a second referendum (but not Remain)… The shadow cabinet has backed a plan to change Labour’s Brexit policy and support a second referendum in all circumstances. Speaking after a meeting this afternoon Jeremy Corbyn said it was now “right to demand” that any form of negotiated departure from the EU “is put to a public vote”. However, he stopped short of committing the party to backing Remain in any new referendum and said another ballot “would need to contain real choices for both Leave and Remain voters”. – The Times (£) …after Jeremy Corbyn reportedly takes inspiration from Harold Wilson… Jeremy Corbyn told colleagues at a fractious and inconclusive shadow cabinet meeting on Wednesday that he had been reading Harold Wilson’s autobiography to gather inspiration about Labour’s Brexit position. The Labour leader was repeatedly urged during the meeting, including by his longstanding political friend John McDonnell, to win back disillusioned party members by moving towards a more wholehearted remain stance, according to two people present. But Corbyn’s reference to the former Labour prime minister was regarded as a fresh signal that he is not ready to become a cheerleader for remain. – The Guardian …as Labour MPs in Leave seats urge Corbyn to strike a deal with the new Prime Minister to deliver Brexit by October 31st… Labour’s rift over Brexit widened last night as 26 MPs urged Jeremy Corbyn to strike a deal with the new prime minister so that Britain can leave the European Union by October 31.In a joint letter addressed to the Labour leader, the MPs from Leave-backing seats have urged him to “put the national interest first”, warning that a second referendum would be “toxic to our bedrock” of voters. It came as Mr Corbyn last night refused to bow to pressure from shadow cabinet ministers, who have called for Labour to campaign for remaining in the EU if the party achieves its aim of securing another public vote. Whilst deputy leader Tom Watson has insisted Labour must become the party of “Remain”, party frontbenchers were yesterday warned that such a shift could end in electoral disaster. – Telegraph (£) Jeremy Corbyn savaged by Labour MPs begging him not to block Brexit and drive away millions of voters – The Sun Full text of the letter – Guido Fawkes … but Tom Watson maintains Labour will be ‘electoral history’ unless it campaigns to reverse Brexit Tom Watson has claimed that on any Brexit deal “there will be a referendum” and says the Labour Party must campaign to remain or else it will be “electoral history”. The deputy Labour leader confirmed to ITV News Political Editor Robert Peston that Jeremy Corbyn was moving toward backing a “referendum in all circumstances” but said the party had not decided which way it would campaign. – ITV News Philip Hammond to warn Tory leadership hopefuls they need a Brexit ‘Plan B’… Philip Hammond will challenge the Tory leadership contenders to set out a Brexit “Plan B”, and hint that another referendum may be required to break the deadlock. The Chancellor will use a major speech in the City of London to warn that a no-deal Brexit could hit the public finances, risk the break-up of the UK and damage the economy. He will say that the £26.6 billion of “fiscal headroom” – which could potentially be used to increase spending or cut taxes – would be soaked up by a no-deal Brexit. Mr Hammond will say: “I cannot imagine a Conservative and Unionist-led Government, actively pursuing a no deal Brexit; willing to risk the union and our economic prosperity.” It would also risk a general election “that could put Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street”, he added. – ITV News …and that a second referendum could be the way to ‘break the impasse’ Philip Hammond will say a second referendum could be the way to “break the impasse” with Brexit. The Chancellor will use his annual Mansion House speech on Thursday to warn Tory leadership contenders to “be honest with the public” and admit that Parliament is likely to reject both the Withdrawal Agreement and no deal. Mr Hammond is expected to say: “If the new Prime Minister cannot end the deadlock in Parliament, then he will have to explore other democratic mechanisms to break the impasse.” A source close to Mr Hammond said this “leaves open” the possibility of both a second referendum and a general election. However he will also warn that an election “could put Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street” – suggesting the referendum would be his preferred option. – Telegraph (£) Philip Hammond warns Boris Johnson to get real about Brexit or risk second referendum – The Sun Boris Johnson faces fresh questions over Brexit after revealing he ‘hardly’ disagrees with leadership rivals on exit date Boris Johnson faced fresh questions over his Brexit resolve last night after it emerged he told rival contenders they “hardly” disagreed on when to leave the EU. In an unguarded moment, the mop-haired top Tory opened up to his opponents at the end of BBC1’s leadership debate on Tuesday night. The ex-Foreign Secretary insisted there was little between their strategies to deliver Britain’s EU exit. Boris has previosuly pledged to pull out by the current deadline of October 31, while all the others have opened the door to a fresh delay to pass a deal first. As the five contenders were lead out of the BBC studio in the basement of New Broadcasting House, their microphones were still attached. Boris was overheard telling them: “You see chaps, we don’t disagree on that much”. Environment Secretary Michael Gove immediately retorted: “Dates, Boris, dates”. – The Sun Remainer Rory Stewart eliminated from Tory leadership contest ahead of final ballots today Four men are left in the race to be next prime minister after Rory Stewart was knocked out. The international development secretary was eliminated after coming last with 27 votes, 10 fewer than last time. He said his warnings about a no-deal Brexit “probably proved to be truths people weren’t quite ready to hear”. Boris Johnson topped the vote again with 143 votes, 17 more than last time. Jeremy Hunt came second with 54, Michael Gove got 51 and Sajid Javid 38. A fourth round of voting will take place on Thursday. – BBC News Theresa May heads to Brussels today for final summit as PM Theresa May’s last scheduled visit to Brussels as prime minister on Thursday is expected to be relatively low-key, as she attends an EU summit to choose Jean-Claude Juncker’s successor. Ms May and her Brexit project will for once not be the centre of attention at the meeting, where EU leaders are hoping to make progress on choosing the EU’s next Commission president, and make headway on issues like climate change. A brief discussion about Brexit will be held on Friday, after the prime minister is expected to have left – but leaders are not expected to issue a formal statement and will instead use the meeting to take stock. “I can imagine that a few leaders would like to make some points on expectations on how the Brexit process will develop,” one senior EU official said, looking forward to the discussion. – Independent Government appoints expert panel to advise on post-Brexit Irish border arrangements The UK government has appointed a panel of experts to advise on alternative arrangements for the Irish border after Brexit. Alternative arrangements refers to ways of maintaining a soft border without close regulatory alignment between the UK and the EU. It is normally used to refer to technical or technological solutions. Some Brexit supporters believe these solutions could be used to replace the controversial backstop. A group of Brexit-supporting MPs has already set up its own alternative arrangements commission which is due to report on Monday. However, the government group has a more diverse membership including people from Northern Ireland. – BBC News Andrew Lilico: A Tory-Brexit Party coalition would spell disaster for both Boris Johnson is going to win the Tory leadership election, with the result announced on July 22nd. When he wins, he will probably face an instant no confidence motion from Jeremy Corbyn. If he wins that no confidence motion, he may take that as a justification for proroguing Parliament to effect No Deal. That means he will probably be voted down in that confidence motion. It is conceivable that Parliament might try to cobble together a majority behind some other Prime Minister (say, Hilary Benn) to revoke Article 50 or legislate for a Second Referendum. But given that Jeremy Corbyn is unlikely to be willing to back anyone else, the most likely outcome is a General Election — perhaps as soon as early September. Recent reports have claimed that Tory donors have sounded out Nigel Farage about the possibility of the Brexit Party entering into some form of electoral pact with the Tories under those circumstances. – Andrew Lilico for the Telegraph (£) Rod Liddle: Noel Gallagher’s right… our Brexit-sneering liberal elite are Half The World Away I’ve always thought there was something fundamentally sound about Noel Gallagher. Talented bloke, decent songwriter and usually spoke a bit of sense. He’s just done so again. People who want a second vote on Brexit should go and live in North Korea, he said. Meaning that they had no time for democracy. Gallagher — like almost every bloody pop musician — backed Remain in the referendum. But he said: “There’s only one f***ing thing worse than a fool who voted for Brexit. That’s the rise of the c***s trying to get the vote overturned.” His message, then, to the relentlessly moaning Remainers who have tried every trick in the book to get that democratic decision overturned is: Don’t look back in anger — get on with your lives and let Brexit happen. – Rod Liddle for The Sun Peter Foster: Why the EU needs to accept they will have to do more than re-sell the old Brexit deal Ask around the foreign diplomatic corps how they imagine the final act of Brexit playing out under a Boris Johnson premiership and you get a version on two different themes. Either it will be a brief and spectacular catastrophe, when Boris gallumphs into Brussels with a list of off-the-chart demands, like binning the Irish backstop and demanding a ‘standstill transition’ with no Withdrawal Agreement to settled debts and guarantee the rights of citizens. In this world, these demands are swiftly rejected as “not serious”, sending Mr Johnson back to Britain to prepare for a ‘khaki’ general election which pits brave Albion against perfidious Europe that Mr Johnson will no doubt retort was “not serious” about a respectful compromise. These seems to be the scenario sketched out by Nigel Farage this week, in which he then joins forces with the Tories to fight a “clean break” election that would return Mr Johnson to Westminster with a “massive majority”. This, to put it mildly, is a high-risk strategy. – Peter Foster for the Telegraph (£) John Redwood: Negotiating our way out of the EU? In the muddle of the tv debate yesterday there were three positions advanced on how to get out of the EU, and effectively three positions on when to get out. Mr Stewart argued that Parliament had to pass the Withdrawal treaty it has thrice rejected. That looks very unlikely. In default of that he invented all sorts of new processes which would entail a long delay in exit. HIs further consultation with the public might well be designed to move towards a second referendum or some other way to stop Brexit altogether. Messrs Hunt, Javid and Gove argued there had to be a renegotiation, with efforts at least to remove the backstop from the current Withdrawal treaty. It is difficult to believe any of this. The EU has made clear they do not intend to re open the Withdrawal Treaty issues. Changing the Political declaration would not change the backstop or any of the other bad features of the draft Treaty. There is no obvious authority to negotiate with before the new Commission is formed. It seems impossible for a new PM to engage in talks, get meaningful changes to the Treaty and put it through Parliament before October 31. Two of the three countenanced a short delay to get an agreement, with Mr Gove favouring a delay until end December 2019. – John Redwood’s Diary Asa Bennett: Boris Johnson is already Tory king, so why not crown him then he can get on with Brexit? One should only call this a Tory leadership contest if there is some actual competition. Boris Johnson has been doing so well with his fellow Tory MPs, as evidence mounts that members are just waiting to acclaim him leader, that all his rivals seem to be achieving is to string out his ascent to power. And so, I argued yesterday that the party might as well crown the man so his new government can get going as soon as possible. Although the estimable Tim Montgomerie insisted that the contest needed to go on to ensure the next Prime Minister had been “properly tested”. Have the latest events changed my view, now that Mr Johnson has gone through last night’s BBC leadership debate and another MPs’ ballot? If anything, they have left me feeling even more sure. The campaign frontrunner emerged unscathed from last night’s BBC Tory leadership debate, which cannot be said about the corporation due to its slapdash approach to vetting candidates. His rivals had an hour to land a killer blow on him, and swung many punches, but could not lay a glove on him. – Asa Bennett for the Telegraph (£) Tom Harris: A trapped Jeremy Corbyn must now wait for the Conservatives to decide his fate Another day, another gear change from the Labour Party in its long, tortuous road towards supporting a second EU referendum. Yesterday it was widely reported that Jeremy Corbyn was expected, today, to announce the change of policy that has been long demanded by his deputy, Tom Watson, and a majority of Labour MPs and members, namely that the party will, in any circumstances, not only support another referendum but will campaign for Remain. The more observant will notice that such a position not only flatly contradicts the party’s position before and after the 2016 referendum – when it undertook to respect the outcome the first time round; but also Corbyn’s own frequently stated view along the same lines. Now his opponents in the parliamentary party want to force him into a position where he publicly refutes that previous position (and the position maintained in the party’s 2017 general election manifesto). No doubt they will, more in sadness than in anger, witness widespread criticism of the ‘authentic’ Corbyn for reneging on a fundamental political principle. – Tom Harris for the Telegraph (£) Brexit in Brief Make no mistake, Jeremy Corbyn has taken a significant step towards a Final Say referendum – Independent editorial Rees-Mogg ‘kicked out of EU Parliament’ over camera – ‘What are they hiding?’ – Express