Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn arrives at Pakeman primary school in North London to cast his vote in the European elections on May 23, 2019. (Photo: IC)

The leader of the United Kingdom's largest opposition party has edged closer to calling for a second referendum on whether the nation should leave the European Union.

Jeremy Corbyn shifted his stance to a more referendum-friendly position after the Labour Party hemorrhaged support in the recent European elections, largely to parties that overtly backed the UK remaining within the EU.

He had previously said he would only call for a referendum if the ruling Conservative Party attempted to force a particularly damaging Brexit on the nation.

He is now saying a referendum should be held on any proposed Brexit divorce deal.

"It is clear that the deadlock in Parliament can now only be broken by the issue going back to the people through a general election or a public vote," he wrote in an open letter to members of Parliament. "We are ready to support a public vote on any deal."

He also said he is "listening very carefully" to advisors who are urging him to go further and call for a straight in/out referendum – a so-called people's vote.

The Guardian newspaper said many in Corbyn's Labour Party want him to not only demand a people's vote but for the party to then campaign ahead of it in favor of the UK remaining in the EU.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said a second referendum had become inevitable.

"Our only option now is to go back to the people in a referendum and that is the position we're in now," he told Sky News. Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer also said a second referendum had become the "only way to break the Brexit impasse". And Tom Watson, the Labour Party's deputy leader, has said the Labour Party should be demanding a second referendum.

But other elements in the Labour Party want it to honor the 2016 referendum and ensure the UK leaves the EU. Around 30 percent of the party's voters want the UK to leave the EU and some parts of the UK are both Labour Party strongholds and Leave-supporting communities at the same time. MPs representing those areas are not in favor of a second referendum.

Jeremy Hunt, meanwhile, the UK's foreign secretary and one of the 10 people vying to replace Theresa May as prime minister, said on BBC Radio 4's Today program on Tuesday that the no-deal Brexit many of his leadership rivals seem to favor would be "political suicide" for his party.

He said any leader who tried to steer the party toward such an exit would trigger a general election, which could be lost to the Labour Party.

The Conservative Party leadership battle is set to run throughout June and into the following month with the new party leader and prime minister expected to be named in late July.