WATCH: Keir Starmer slaps down John McDonnell as he says Labour could offer way out of Brexit in second referendum
2 min read
Labour was plunged into a fresh row over Brexit today as Keir Starmer slapped down John McDonnell on the terms of a second referendum on EU membership.
The Shadow Brexit Secretary said Labour could still offer voters the chance to stay in the EU if it offers another public poll - just hours after the Shadow Chancellor said the opposite.
Labour has committed to pledging a second Brexit vote if members demand one - with delegates at the ongoing party conference in Liverpool set to vote on a motion tomorrow that includes the possibility of the public having a final say.
After a marathon five-hour meeting last night, a special committee that rules over what members get to vote on came up with a four-page motion including a vague clause about a fresh referendum.
But senior figures in the party are already at odds over what the terms of such a vote should be.
This morning, Mr McDonnell said any new referendum should be “a vote on the deal itself” rather than a fresh fight over whether to leave the bloc or remain in.
But Mr Starmer said of the meeting last night: “We weren’t ruling out options and nobody was ruling out Remain.”
He added: “Of course we have options because we don’t know what the future is going to bring.
“The most basic issue is: is there going to be a deal or no deal. So we have to contemplate different futures.”
Mr McDonnell told the BBC this morning: “The People's Vote will be on the deal itself and we can negotiate a better deal.”
He added: “If we are going to respect the last referendum, it will be about the deal, it will be a negotiation on the deal.”
Pro-EU campaigners have been piling presure on the Labour party to offer voters a second referendum on Brexit.
The membership is overwhelmingly pro-Remain, but many voters in working class Labour heartlands plumped for Leave at the 2016 referendum.
The motion Labour members are set to vote on tomorrow says "if we cannot get a general election Labour must support all options remaining on the table, including campaigning for a public vote".
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