Fears Labour could back second referendum on Brexit as frontbenchers start polling voters on whether we should STAY in EU
Brexiteers have accused the party of laying the ground for a massive U-turn on its Brexit policy
FEARS are growing that Labour will back a second referendum which could overturn Brexit, The Sun can reveal.
Frontbenchers are polling voters on whether they support rerunning the 2016 vote - and even staying in the EU.
Brexit backers accuse the party of laying the ground for a U-turn which would see Labour endorsing a second referendum.
Two shadow ministers and one parliamentary aide are all currently promoting web surveys on Brexit.
Sharon Hodgson, shadow minister for public health, is asking voters if the Brexit deal should be approved in a referendum.
She also asks whether they'd like to see Britain remain in the EU if we are on course to crash out without a deal.
Shadow housing minister Sarah Jones asks in her survey if the "final deal" should be subject to a public vote.
And James Frith, a parliamentary private secretary, asks: "Would you prefer Parliament, the Prime Minister or you the people to have the final say on the deal negotiated by the Government?"
Pro-EU sources told The Sun that these surveys are often pushed in order to justify a change of policy.
Leading Brexiteers accused the party of preparing to perform a U-turn and come out in support of a second referendum.
Businessman John Longworth, boss of the Leave Means Leave campaign, told The Sun: “We sincerely hope that these surveys taking place are not part of a permanent shift by the Labour party to betray the democratic EU referendum and call for a second vote.”
Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns added: "Labour may want to waste public money on another referendum and let public trust in politicians be eroded further, but I certainly don't agree with them."
And Andrew Bridgen said: "It’s clear that despite their promise to the electorate to respect the referendum result, the Labour party are shifting their position to be a party of Remain."
Labour Brexit supporters warned pro-EU MPs not to rock the boat by defying Jeremy Corbyn's policy of accepting the 2016 referendum.
Brendan Chilton, who ran Labour Leave, said: "There is a concerted movement within parts of the Labour movement to try and overturn the referendum result.
"All members of the shadow ministerial team should support the manifesto they were elected on."
Keir Starmer, the Shadow Brexit Secretary, is understood to be frustrated by the efforts to call a second referendum.
He has told allies the move is a distraction from the aim of keeping Britain in the customs union - and believes those behind it are just trying to build their own profile.
A Labour spokesman said: "We’re not calling for a second referendum on Brexit."
The MPs involved denied trying to overturn the result of the Brexit vote.
Ms Jones said: “This is a survey of my constituents to hear their views - it doesn’t mean I’m advocating a second referendum”.
Ms Hodgson said she only wants to "ensure that I can represent my constituents in the best way possible".
Mr Frith did not respond to a request for comment.
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Anti-Brexit campaigners welcomed the news that MPs could change their stance on a second referendum.
Eloise Todd, head of Best for Britain, said: "MPs are rightly asking their constituents what they think about Brexit and I hope they will hear back that it is a disaster.
"It is sad that Brexiteers are shrieking about an MP getting in touch with the people they represent."
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