Labour's backing for UK remaining in EU now uncertain

London

JEREMY Corbyn's overwhelming hard left victory as the leader of the UK's main opposition Labour Party raises uncertainty about the outcome of Britain's European Union (EU) referendum, due before the end of 2017.

Sixty per cent of party voters - 171,000 votes ahead of the second best candidate - were in favour of anti-austerity campaigner Mr Corbyn. The victory, resignation of a dozen left-leaning moderates from Labour's shadow cabinet and media reports of a potential split in the party, however, will have limited impact on the Conservative government's domestic and foreign policy. The Conservatives currently have a small 12-seat lead majority in parliament, are in power until May 2020 and a spot poll of the right wing Mail on Sunday shows that their lead has widened considerably. Moreover, some 90 per cent of Labour MPs who opposed Mr Corbyn, fear that if the hard left remains in control, the party could lose again in 2020.