Brexit news - live: Crunch Labour meeting on second referendum descends into acrimony as deputy leader Tom Watson storms out

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Shadow Minister Rebecca Long-Bailey hints new referendum is not a 'red line' for Labour

An attempt to force Jeremy Corbyn to commit to a fresh Brexit referendum in all circumstances has failed after a marathon six-hour meeting of the Labour’s ruling executive committee on Friday.

It means the partry is only pledged to support a fresh referendum if it cannot secure “the necessary changes to the government’s deal or a general election”.

Tom Watson, the party’s deputy leader, has led calls for Labour to endorse a public vote on any Brexit deal but stormed out of the meeting after it emerged that the shadow cabinet would not be given a full copy of the draft manifesto commitment on the issue.

The Liberal Democrats, Change UK and the Green Party all described the position as a “fudge”, but some Labour politicians welcomed the fact a possible referendum would now be on the party’s European election manifesto.

Meanwhile, it emerged that Theresa May will abandon talks with Labour to strike a Brexit deal if no agreement can be reached within one week.

If Labour agrees not to block the withdrawal agreement bill, it would then be put to the Commons – but the government will “move in another direction” if no guarantee is given, The Independent was told.

See how the day unfolded below:

Key Points

• Bid to force Jeremy Corbyn to commit to fresh Brexit referendum fails
• Labour splits laid bare as Tom Watson storms out of meeting
• Theresa May to abandon Brexit talks if no deal reached by next week

[30 April 2019 08:55 · Benjamin Kentish]

Welcome to today's live coverage from Westminster.

[30 April 2019 09:00 · Benjamin Kentish]

Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) will meet at 11am today to decide whether to include a firm commitment to another Brexit referendum in its manifesto for next month's European Parliament elections. Here's our preview of the crunch meeting, which comes after Jeremy Corbyn was warned that his 'fudge' on Brexit is causing an exodus of members from the party.

[30 April 2019 09:15 · Benjamin Kentish]

Jeremy Hunt has warned that the government could lose the support of even more Conservative MPs on Brexit if it agrees to seek a customs union with the EU.

Cross-party talks to break the current impasse resumed yesterday but are yet to find a breakthrough, with ministers resisting Labour's demands for a customs union.

Mr Hunt told Radio 4's Today:

 "If we were proposing, which I very much hope we don't, to sign up to the customs union, then I think there is a risk that you would lose more Conservative MPs than you would gain Labour MPs.

"If, on the other hand, it was something different, then the result could be different as well."

He insisted the talks were progressing, saying:

"I think there is a great sense of urgency and that's why we are having these cross-party talks which have been progressing.

"And the reality of Brexit is that it is the most controversial issue, certainly in my political lifetime, but we have a hung parliament so we cannot get it through without talking to other parties."

[30 April 2019 09:28 · Benjamin Kentish]

Tory activists have warned Theresa May that she will face an unprecedented leadership challenge at an emergency meeting of the National Conservative Convention in June

[30 April 2019 09:45 · Benjamin Kentish]

Opinion: You can't push for Brexit and be a voice for business, writes Change UK's Chuka Umunna

 

[30 April 2019 10:02 · Benjamin Kentish]

The government has announced more support for victims of the NHS contaminated blood scandal, as an official inquiry into the tragedy gets underway

[30 April 2019 10:16 · Benjamin Kentish]

It's a quiet day in the Commons today - especially in comparison with recent weeks. Here's the order paper:

[30 April 2019 10:33 · Benjamin Kentish]

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Jeremy Hunt has warned Theresa May that compromising with Labour on a customs union would alienate even more Tory MPs.

Story here:

[30 April 2019 10:48 · Benjamin Kentish]

Former Tory ministers Nicky Morgan and Greg Hands are to chair a new commission looking at alternatives to the controversial Northern Ireland backstop, which would see the UK keep its tariffs aligned with the EU if no other way is found to keep the Northern Irish border open after Brexit.

The "Alternative Arrangements Commission" will work across party lines to try to find "realistic and sustainable"" solutions to the problem. It has established a panel of trade experts, lawyers and business leaders to advise it.

Ms Morgan, a former education secretary, said:

“The work of this commission is hugely important. Implementation of suitable border arrangements for Ireland are vital not only to fulfil the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, but also key to agreeing a successful future UK relationship with the European Union whatever happens in the withdrawal phase and however that future relationship is formulated.

The EU have already indicated a desire to get on to discussing alternative arrangements and so we should try to do that.”

Mr Hands, former chief secretary to the Treasury, said:

“Alternative arrangements were a key part of the Brady Amendment, the only Brexit proposal to have passed the House of Commons. I am looking forward to using my background to work with a wide variety of MPs and experts to help move this work forward and explore in detail how these alternative arrangements can work.”

[30 April 2019 11:07 · Lizzy Buchan]

It looks like Labour's National Executive Committee meeting is going to be pretty heated today. To recap, the NEC, Labour's ruling body, is to decide on its manifesto for the European Parliament elections today.

A major row is under way between different Brexit factions over whether to commit the party to campaigning for a second referendum in the poll.

Deputy leader Tom Watson is leading that charge, while Jeremy Corbyn is said to be reluctant to back another vote.

Popcorn at the ready...