Labour NEC meets amid split on second Brexit vote

The Labour party's National Executive Committee was meeting on Tuesday amid a split among members on whether to endorse a public vote on Brexit in its European election manifesto.

Pro-European MPs have been lobbying the party's governing body to hold a “people's vote” on any deal, while some are opposed because they fear an electoral backlash from Labour areas that voted for Brexit and others think they should force a General Election.

A draft amendment to any future binding Brexit vote has been put forward by MPs Phil Wilson and Peter Kyle. It commits parliament to passing Prime Minister Theresa May’s withdrawal deal subject to a public vote.

The duo wrote to the NEC on Monday stating that a confirmatory ballot was supported by 203 Labour MPs, including 110 from seats that voted to leave.

“If a ‘deal’ is implemented without first going to the people for confirmation, then in the months and years ahead, the public will have a right to say: ‘This isn’t the Brexit I voted for,’” the letter stated.

“The public wants Brexit to be over. They are looking to the Labour party to resolve this Brexit crisis. The way to resolve this crisis is in a confirmatory ballot with the facts of the deal before the British people.”

The European Union set a new deadline of 31 October for the UK's departure, but Britain could leave sooner if May gets her deal through parliament before May 23.

Labour members voted for at their last annual conference that if May's deal was rejected by the House of Commons or talks ended in no-deal, there should be a General Election.

If one could not be forced then the party should examine all options “including campaigning for a public vote".

The second vote is supported strongly by Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, who called on members to contact the NEC and demand support for a "confirmatory referendum" on any deal. Eurosceptic party leader Jeremy Corbyn is not in favour of another ballot.