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Labour will seek amendment to Brexit bill, Jeremy Corbyn says

Labour will seek to amend the Government's Brexit bill if the Supreme Court allows a debate in Parliament, Jeremy Corbyn says.

The Labour leader told Sky News his party wants an amendment to ensure Britain maintains access to Europe's markets, workers' rights and environmental protection measures.

He said: "When the Article 50 debate comes up, we will put forward an amendment to it, about market access and protections. We want those to be part of the negotiations.

"We are respecting the result of the referendum. It might not be the one we wanted but it's the one we've got."

He denied the amendment could delay the process and backed the right of courts to "interpret legislation and what Parliament does".

He said the reason for the amendment was that "there are those in the Tory party who want us to sever all connection with Europe, reduce corporate taxation, set up some kind of bargain basement trade agreement with the USA".

"The result would be a reduction in wages, reduction in public expenditure and ultimately a big reduction in living standards across Britain," he added.

Mr Corbyn refused to rule out demanding a second referendum on the exit terms, when they are finally negotiated.

But he said he did not agree with former Labour prime minister Tony Blair, who believes the referendum result can be reversed.

A Supreme Court hearing will start on Monday to decide whether Prime Minister Theresa May is entitled to trigger Article 50 without the say of Parliament.

The Attorney General will say that, when the High Court ruled last month that withdrawal from the EU can only be launched by Parliament, it had been "divorced from the reality" of how modern states operate.

In a statement about the appeal, Jeremy Wright, the Government's top legal officer, said the courts should not "relegate, almost to a footnote, the outcome of the referendum".

Mr Corbyn added: "You can't say to be people, 'You vote, you take the decision ... Sorry, you've made the wrong decision... You've got to take it again.'

"Two thirds of Labour voters voted to remain. There isn't a blank cheque to the Government - it's up to Parliament to hold the Government to account. That is exactly what we are doing.

"Article 50 will still be invoked. We are not going to block it. We don't think it's right to do that. But I do think there may well be a considerable body of MPs on both sides who would support an amendment which does require a trade agreement with Europe in the future."

Brexit Secretary David Davis revealed in the Commons on Thursday that the Government may consider paying to retain single market access.

Mr Corbyn was speaking to Sky's Political Editor Faisal Islam while attending a conference with European socialists.

Islam said: "What we know of the Government is that they are trying to draft a bill, just in two or three lines, to try and make it unamendable.

"(Labour) might get a few votes (for its amendment) and I think it might well delay the process - certainly make the notion of getting this through the Commons in a day or two rather difficult.

"Combine that with the fact that we are only likely to get a verdict from the Supreme Court in ... potentially the end of January, it does mean that the March timetable of Theresa May's is looking difficult."

Earlier, Mr Corbyn told a meeting that unity among socialists was the only way to tackle the threat from populists like UKIP, Donald Trump and France's Marine Le Pen.

:: Sky News will be LIVE from the Supreme Court from 10am on Monday.