Labour MPs push for second Brexit referendum by tabling House of Commons motion

Exclusive: Several former ministers among those trying to give public another opportunity to stop Brexit

Owen Smith said a second referendum would be 'doubling down on democracy'

(Getty)

A group of Labour MPs will attempt to secure a second Brexit referendum as Parliament begins debating the Government’s Article 50 bill on Tuesday.

Thirteen backbenchers, including several senior Labour MPs, have signed a House of Commons amendment tabled by Owen Smith, the former Labour leadership contender, that would force Theresa May to call a second public vote before taking Britain out of the EU.

Among those to put their name to the motion are Heidi Alexander, the former Shadow Health Secretary, former cabinet minister Ben Bradshaw and former Higher Education minister David Lammy, as well as Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas.

While more MPs are expected to back the amendment if it is put to a vote, the motion is almost certain to be defeated by the Government. Theresa May has repeatedly rejected calls for a public poll to be held on any future exit deal she negotiates with the EU.

Despite this, MPs hope to put pressure on the Prime Minister to give the public the final say on how – and if – Brexit takes place.

The Labour MPs' amendment proposes that: “A referendum is to be held on whether the United Kingdom should approve the United Kingdom and Gibraltar exit package proposed by HM Government at conclusion of the negotiations triggered by Article 50(2) for withdrawal from the European Union or remain a member of the European Union.”

It says the question on the ballot should be: “Do you support the Government’s proposed United Kingdom and Gibraltar exit package for negotiating withdrawal from the European Union or Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union?”

The only two choices would be the Government’s proposed exit package or the UK remaining a member of the EU. There would be no option for further negotiations or for the UK to leave the EU without an exit deal.

Mr Smith told The Independent: “We still don’t know what Brexit will mean in practice for our economy and our communities, and over the next few years we need Government to spell out the true costs of leaving the EU.

"Before the referendum the Government said the cost would be £66 billion – or half the annual budget of the NHS – now Theresa May refuses to give us facts and figures and asks instead that we take a leap of faith based on little more, it seems, than her new-found friendship with Donald Trump.

"I believe the Government should come clean about the damaging impact of the hard Brexit they are now pursuing and should offer the people a further chance to confirm the referendum result on the basis of the facts that can only be fully known at the end of the negotiation with the EU. That isn’t to deny democracy, but to double down on it.”

The Liberal Democrats have also tabled an amendment calling for a second referendum, with similar wording to that proposed by the Labour MPs. Again, the only two options would be for the UK to leave the EU on the Government’s proposed terms or else remain in the EU.

Both Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs are also seeking to force a vote that would give Parliament the right to decide whether the UK leaves the single market, as The Independent revealed yesterday.

The new amendments go one step further, introducing an option for the British public to overturn the initial Leave vote if they do not like the deal Theresa May puts forward.

The motions are among a number designed to amend the Government’s eight-line European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill as it passes through Parliament. Others seek to force Theresa May to adopt a number of positions during negotiations, including protecting workers’ rights, securing UK access to the EU’s single market and guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens living in the UK.

MPs will begin debating the measures on Tuesday, with votes set to take place on Wednesday. The detailed amendments will be voted on next week.