• SIR Keir Starmer’s assurance. on the BBC’s Today programme, that Labour accepts that a referendum would be “on the table” if parliament rejects any deal (or non-deal) negotiated by the government is doubly welcome.

It brings the Labour Party leadership far closer to the large and growing majority of Labour members and voters who take this view.

And it offers the best hope yet that the madness of Brexit can still be averted. It remains for the party conference to confirm this major shift in the party’s position.

DICK LEONARD, NW1
Labour MP for Romford
1970-1974