WATCH John McDonnell: Labour will push for a general election over a second EU referendum
2 min read
There should be another general election rather than a second EU referendum if Parliament rejects the final Brexit deal, John McDonnell has said.
The Shadow Chancellor did not rule out another Brexit vote but warned that it could reignite tensions between Leave and Remain supporters.
He said that if MPs could not agree on the terms of the final deal between the UK the EU it would be “better” for the Government to call a general election.
He told ITV1’s Peston on Sunday: “We would never turn our backs on democratic engagement, but our worry at the moment is that if you had another referendum it would divide the country again and at the same time we would open up the potential of that right-wing xenophobia…
“Better we have a general election on the issue and all the other issues because then you have a wider debate as well.”
Last month Jeremy Corbyn clarified Labour’s position on a second EU referendum, telling the BBC’s Andrew Marr show that the party would not support one.
The Labour leader said: "What we've asked for and demanded is a meaningful vote in Parliament at the end of it... we're not asking for a second referendum."
Asked if they were going to in the future, he replied: "No."
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