Jeremy Corbyn has called for Boris Johnson to get an extension to stay in the European Union, saying Labour will argue for Remain if it comes to a choice between a no-deal Brexit and staying in the bloc.

Speaking at the Business and Technology Centre in Stevenage, the Labour leader called on the Prime Minister to abandon the “arbitrary” October 31 Brexit deadline.

He said Mr Johnson needs to “wise up” and start taking negotiations seriously.

Mr Corbyn said: “What we said is, if it is no-deal or Remain, we will campaign for Remain.”

He added: “I campaigned for Remain in the referendum in 2016, the result was different. This isn’t a re-run of 2016.

“This would be an opportunity for people to decide, at the end of the day, what they actually want.

“I would hope we would reject no-deal because half of our trade is with the European Union.

“Many European nationals have made their homes and made a fantastic contribution to our community.

“Many industries rely on that. Manufacturing, agriculture, education, and so on. Let’s be sensible about this.”

He added: “Between no-deal and Remain, I will argue for Remain.”

Mr Corbyn said Boris Johnson is “not serious at all” about negotiating a deal, and said he needs to “wise up” and “stop the nonsense with October 31” over Brexit.

Brexit
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meets business leaders (Joe Giddens/PA)

He said: “I have just spent the morning with a group of innovative small businesses here in Stevenage, all of whom do significant amounts of trade with the European Union.

“Some, themselves, are European Union nationals.

“They want us to continue to trade with Europe, and they are appalled at the idea of a no-deal Brexit, and I think the Prime Minister should go and talk to them.”

He added: “He needs to recognise that just holding the threat of a no-deal Brexit on October 31 towards the European Union isn’t going to bring about a change, it’s going to make things much worse.

“He created this arbitrary date by his behaviour during the Tory leadership campaign.

“He needs to wise up and stop the nonsense with October 31 and start talking seriously.”