Brexit news latest: ‘Inconceivable’ that Labour manifesto for snap election would not include second referendum, Tom Watson says

Tom Watson today said it would be “inconceivable” if a Labour manifesto for a snap general election did not include a second referendum.

Pressed on whether a second vote would be in Labour’s manifesto, Mr Watson told The Andrew Marr Show that he does not write it but noted “it seems to me inconceivable” that a “People’s Vote” would not be in the manifesto if a general election was called.

Asked if he is in favour of a second referendum under all circumstances, Mr Watson replied: “I think that’s the only way we can bring the country back together now.”

He added: “It seems to me that Parliament, certainly Labour MPs, are coming together with an emerging consensus that whatever that deal looks like – and we understand there have to be compromises – if it’s underpinned by a People’s Vote that is the way we can bring the country back together.”

Speaking separately on Sky’s Sophie Ridge programme, shadow cabinet minister Emily Thornberry agreed that there is “a strong case for a second referendum” but stressed that Labour wanted to respect the result of the 2016 vote and  the UK out of the EU.

“I think that we are likely to leave the EU but I think it is something we need to agree ourselves and I think there is a strong argument for asking people to have the final say on this,” Ms Thornberry said.

“I think that it is quite difficult for us to leave the European Union, most of us campaigned for Remain. I think in our hearts we want to remain, but the difficulty is that we have to square that with democracy. We are democrats above everything else.” 

Asked about the Commons rejecting Theresa May’s Brexit deal for the third time, Ms Thornberry said Mrs May is “out of control”.

“Even with just days to go she is just saying ‘It is my deal or no deal’. That is not meaningful, that is not democracy. That is Theresa May stamping her feet and saying ‘I want this, no one else is allowed to do anything,”‘ she said.

“No wonder she is in trouble. She is out of control. She is not listening to anyone. No one knows what it is that she is going to do next. I think her judgment has been undermined.”

Their comments come as a new poll found that Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour have taken a five-point lead over Mrs May’s Conservatives amid Brexit turmoil within the Tory party.

The Deltapoll survey commissioned by the Mail on Sunday found that Labour would be on course to win 307 seats in a General Election – 19 seats short of a majority – while the Conservatives would claim 264.

Responding to the poll results, Mr Watson told Andrew Marr: “It’s no surprise to me that we’ve had a little boost in the polls because we’re offering that consensus, that attempt to bring the country back together. 

“I’m sure that whatever the outcome of the actual withdrawal deal negotiations, if it’s underpinned by a People’s Vote we can eventually win a consensus if that’s the right way forward.”