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Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed that Labour will remain neutral in a second referendum on Brexit.
Speaking on the BBC’s leaders debate on Friday night he said he would not campaign for Leave or Remain should he become Prime Minister.
First on stage, Corbyn faced a number of questions on his social policies, with one person suggesting his “reckless socialist” agenda “terrified” him and his family.
Read more: General election 2019: Shadow chancellor John McDonnell defends Labour’s tax plans
Corbyn said his plans to nationalise the Royal Mail, railways, water industry and broadband were aimed at “delivering an economy that works for all”.
He also insisted business had “nothing to be frightened of” by his plans, despite a report from the Institute of Fiscal Studies claiming the cost of Labour’s manifesto would push up everyone’s taxes.
Corbyn said his “fully prepared and costed manifesto” would “bring the country together and help reduce inequality.”
The Labour leader also faced criticism from several in the audience for a lack of clarity on whether he would back Remain or Leave in a second referendum on Brexit.
One questioner said: “Why would anyone vote for Labour without knowing the answer to that question?”
For the first time since pledging a second EU referendum should Labour win the general election, Corbyn said he would remain neutral.
“I will adopt, if I am Prime Minister at the time, a neutral stance so I can credibly carry out the results of that to bring our communities and countries together rather than continuing an endless debate,” he said.
It is a stance that received criticism from Prime Minister Boris Johnson who was the fourth party leader to take to the stage for 30 minutes of questioning.
Read more: General Election 2019: What we know about the Conservative Party manifesto
Johnson said he did not know how Corbyn could be “indifferent” on such a vital issue and that the Labour leader’s views had “mutated”, both of which would undermine his ability to negotiate an improved withdrawal agreement.
“He is now going to be neutral on the deal he proposes to do. I don’t see how he can do a deal when he is going to be neutral or indifferent,” the Prime Minister said.
Johnson accused the Labour, SNP and Lib Dem leaders of all wanting to “basically frustrate” the result of the 2016 referendum by “absurdly” holding another one more than three years after people are still waiting for the first to be delivered.
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