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 11:20 · Lizzy Buchan]

Ahead of the NEC meeting, TSSA general secretary, Manuel Cortes, called for Labour to support a public vote on any Brexit deal. 

He said: “Frankly it’s time for our party to act on the overwhelming wishes of its members and voters by pledging to support a confirmatory public vote on any Brexit deal. 

“Our union has a clear policy of giving the British public the final say on any deal agreed by parliament. We will be pushing hard for this to be included in Labour’s European Manifesto.” 

[30 April 2019 11:30 · Lizzy Buchan]

Arriving for a meeting of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee, which is due to discuss the party's stance on another Brexit referendum, deputy leader Tom Watson said he did not expect a row.

Mr Watson said: "We always have lively discussions at the National Executive Committee, but I don't think there will be a row.

"These are very serious matters."

[30 April 2019 11:38 · Lizzy Buchan]

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has arrived at the NEC meeting, but did not enter the building through the main entrance where media and demonstrators had gathered. 

[30 April 2019 11:52 · Lizzy Buchan]

Urgent question coming up in the Commons on false accusations of cheating among overseas students.

[30 April 2019 12:10 · Lizzy Buchan]

Campaigners for a second Brexit referendum have launched a website allowing voters in next month’s European elections to find out which parties in their constituency are backing a fresh vote.

The People’s Vote campaign, which set up the site, says it will increase pressure on Labour to match pledges by other parties to back a new say on EU membership.

[30 April 2019 12:23 · Lizzy Buchan]

Interesting poll showing confusion around the views of the insurgent parties in the European Parliament elections.

[30 April 2019 12:43 · Benjamin Kentish]

Breaking: Theresa May has set a deadline of the middle of next week for Brexit talks with Labour to reach a breakthrough, according to government sources. More on that soon.

[30 April 2019 12:55 · Benjamin Kentish]

A bit more on the current state of the cross-party Brexit talks. Theresa May's official spokesman said negotiations with Labour yesterday were "serious and constructive"  but that this morning's cabinet meeting had discussed the possibility of the discussions ending.

The spokesman told reporters at a daily briefing:

"Cabinet received an update on the Brexit talks with the opposition, including the negotiations last night which were serious and constructive.

"Further talks will now be scheduled in order to bring the process toward a conclusion.

"Cabinet also discussed the need to secure safe passage of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill as soon as possible in order to deliver upon the result of the referendum."

[30 April 2019 13:09 · Benjamin Kentish]

Full story: Theresa May to abandon Brexit talks with Labour if no deal is reached by next week

[30 April 2019 13:20 · Benjamin Kentish]

The Conservatives are on course to come fourth in London in next month's European Parliament elections, according to a new poll.

The YouGov survey suggests Theresa May's party will win just 11 per cent of the vote - half of what it achieved in the last EU elections in 2014.

The Tories are even behind Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party (19 per cent) and Change UK (17 per cent), despite the two parties having only been formed in recent weeks.  

Labour is on course to win the elections in London with 28 per cent of the vote, but even that is significantly less than the 36.6 per cent it polled in 2014.