I WAS disappointed to read The Northern Echo editorial (Echo, Oct 24) entitled “Labour lacks leadership,” ridiculing Labour’s strategy on Brexit and asking if Labour is proposing a “negotiated deal that it will vote against” or a “a second referendum that the party leader doesn’t want.”

Jeremy Corbyn has stated clearly that he is in favour of a second referendum on any deal. Ideally, this should be on a good deal negotiated by a Labour government; but if the Tories somehow manage to get a deal through Parliament, then that too should be subject to a referendum.

It would be absurd for a Labour government to go to the EU saying: “We want to negotiate the best possible deal, but whatever it is, we’ll campaign against it.”

Labour will decide its referendum campaign strategy only when full details are known of whatever deal is on offer.

Only Labour will give the people the final say.

Boris Johnson has falsely claimed that Parliament has already passed his Brexit deal (the Withdrawal Agreement Bill). It has not.

The next stage is for Parliament to debate the legislation and propose amendments, after which the Bill returns for a third reading, when it can be passed, with or without amendments, or voted down altogether.

Parliament could, and should, be dealing with this right now, though it must surely take more than the two days the Government allowed for it.

However, because Parliament demanded more time, Boris Johnson has thrown his toys out of the pram and paused the legislation.

As John McDonnell said, Mr Johnson is behaving like a spoiled brat.

Pete Winstanley, Durham