LABOUR could back a second EU referendum if the UK Government’s Brexit plan were rejected by MPs and there was a prospect of a no deal, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
The Shadow Brexit Secretary pointed out how his party’s approach thus far had been one of not calling for a so-called People’s Vote but concentrating on Westminster getting a “meaningful vote” on the final proposed deal with Brussels.
But, appearing on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Sir Keir left the door open to Labour backing a second EU vote.
He said: “Should the Article 50 deal that the Prime Minister brings back be voted down or worse there’s no deal, then that’s a very serious situation and we’re going to have to confront it when we get there and that parliament must decide what happens next.
“In those circumstances, it seems to me the sensible thing is to keep all our options on the table.”
When it was pointed out how the Labour frontbencher had recently told a private meeting with business that faced with Parliament rejecting the final deal, then Labour would conclude that “this might involve a General Election or a people’s vote,” Sir Keir said: “Well, in the event that Article 50 is voted down, or there’s no deal, that’s a serious situation.
“Parliament should decide what happens next and at that stage there could be a General Election, there could be other options; but all options, it seems to me, ought to be on the table because that’s a situation we have to avoid at all costs.”
In response, Brandon Lewis, the Tory Chairman, said: “This weekend the Government agreed a position to negotiate a good deal with the EU. And what do we get from Labour? They’ve confirmed they’re leaving the door open to re-running the referendum. We’re moving forward and they want to turn the clock back two years,” he added.
The focus has been back on Labour’s view about a People’s Vote after the trade union Unite, the Opposition’s largest financial supporter, recently left the door open to it supporting one.
Last week, Jeremy Corbyn's spokesman reflected the Labour leader’s own view that Brexit "should be dealt with in Parliament".
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