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The Liberal Democrats will today launch a campaign to cancel Brexit when the party meets for its autumn conference.
Leader Jo Swinson will urge the party faithful to back plans to revoke Article 50 – the formal process to leave the EU – as the only solution to get out of this “mess”.
Until now, the Lib Dem Brexit policy has been to campaign for another referendum, in which it would campaign for Remain.
But as delegates meet on Bournemouth’s seafront this morning, Ms Swinson will ask them to commit to cancelling the UK’s divorce from Brussels without the need for a second referendum, should the party gain power in the next general election.
She has said: “We got into this mess as a result of having a referendum in the first place and that [revoking Article 50] is the only satisfactory way out of it.”
Revoking Article 50 would effectively undo the legal mechanism under the EU’s Lisbon Treaty that sparked Britain’s withdrawal process from the EU.
Lord John Kerr, the British diplomat who was involved in drafting the article, has publicly said the clause is reversible.
If Lib Dem members back their leader’s move, the revocation would be written into the party’s next election manifesto.
Ms Swinson is due to take questions from conference attendees at the Bournemouth International Centre on Sunday, following a speech by her predecessor Sir Vince Cable.
It is likely to be Mr Cable’s last conference as a Lib Dem MP, as he has said he will not contest his Twickenham seat at the next election.
Ms Swinson, the East Dunbartonshire MP, will close the four-day conference with a speech on Tuesday, following a tribute to former leader Paddy Ashdown, who died in December.
The new party leader has played an active part in convincing MPs to switch allegiance and join the Lib Dems.
She is now is looking to take her party into the next election as the most unequivocally in favour of staying in the EU.
Chuka Umunna, who joined the Lib Dems under Sir Vince’s leadership, will address party members on Monday in his role as Treasury and business spokesman.
The Lib Dems currently have 17 MPs, having been boosted by a victory in the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election and defections from both Labour and the Conservatives since the summer.
