Sir Keir Starmer adds to pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to back a second EU referendum

The shadow Brexit secretary says a second EU referendum must remain among Labour's options.

Labour's Sir Keir Starmer said that if the party is unable to force a general election then another vote could become a focus.

Speaking at the Fabian Society new year conference in London, he said: "As I set out in Liverpool, a public vote has to be an option for Labour.

"After all, deeply embedded in our values are internationalism, collaboration and cooperation with our European partners."

His call will put pressure on the party's leadership to back a second public vote.

The other option he set out was for Labour to force the government into a deal based on the current customs union.

The customs union ensures free trade within the EU by making each country apply the same import tariffs on goods from outside the union. Staying in precludes the UK from signing new trade deals.

The shadow Brexit secretary also called for an "open and frank debate" to break the Commons deadlock and that there are "no easy routes" out of the current crisis.

In the aftermath of Theresa May's crushing defeat over the EU withdrawal plan Sir Keir also said it is now up to parliament to take the "difficult decisions" needed to end the stalemate.

His plea comes as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn again refused to meet Mrs May to discuss the way forward unless she takes a "no-deal" Brexit option off the table. No deal means the UK would leave the EU without any trading or political agreement in place with the bloc.

He branded talks with leaders of other parties "not genuine" after Downing Street made clear the prime minister would not accept a customs union in the EU.

Mr Corbyn claims a customs union is "necessary" to gain parliament's support for any new plan.

In a letter to his Tory counterpart on Friday evening Mr Corbyn grumbled about Mrs May ruling out an extension to Article 50 or a second referendum. Article 50 is the legal process by which the UK would quit the EU and the leaving date is scheduled for 29 March this year.

"Whatever one thinks of those issues, that reinforces the view these are not genuine talks, but designed to play for time and give the appearance of reaching out, whilst sticking rigidly to your own emphatically rejected deal," he wrote.

His letter came as it was reported Brexiteer cabinet ministers have warned Mrs May she risks splitting up the Conservative Party if she gives way to customs union calls.

Mrs May is at Chequers, the prime minister's country retreat, for the weekend to work on a statement to MPs setting out her plan.

Sir Keir will blame Mrs May for having offered the UK "false hope and false promises" in his speech.

"It's now time for an open and frank debate about how we break the deadlock," he will say.

"There are no easy routes out of the mess this government has got us into on Brexit.

"Difficult decisions are going to have to be made by parliament.

"Now is the time for an honest debate and for credible solutions to emerge."

On Friday, Tory MP Nick Boles warned ministers were set to resign if the government tries to block handing power to MPs to block a no-deal Brexit.