Dr Richard Wellings, Deputy Research Director for the Institute of Economic Affairs, outlined “several problems” with dismissing the vote of 17.4 million Britons in a second Brexit referendum. Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr Wellings said the first issue would be with deciding on a question to put the people.

That means that potentially the establishment could rig the game against Brexit

Richard Wellings

He continued: “If you don’t just have a straight choice between two options then it becomes quite complicated as to how you would actually arrange the rules.

“That means that potentially the establishment could rig the game against Brexit, which I think is probably the intention.

“There has also been a dirty tricks campaign against some of the leading Brexit campaigners and organisations by the establishment, which would put them in a much weaker position in another referendum.

“The other thing is that it kind of undermines the settled rules of democracies.”

Mr Wellings insisted the decisions made in referenda “should be binding” and cannot be held “again and again and again”.

He added: “Obviously, the EU and its elites in various countries have done that in the past with, for example, the French or the Irish who voted against the EU’s agenda.

“But I think it would cause a lot of problems and it would cause a massive loss of faith in the political elite and the concept of democracy, which I think could be quite dangerous in the long term in terms of political stability.”

The comments come as the Labour’s ruling body today endured a lengthy eight-hour meeting to come to an agreement on the party’s position on a second referendum.

The conclusion was exactly the same as the party’s existing policy.

The party’s manifesto for the European Elections will commit to supporting a second referendum if it cannot get a general election, or if the Government will not change its policy on Brexit.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “Labour’s European Elections manifesto was agreed at the NEC today and it will be published soon.

“Labour is the only party which represents both people who supported Leave and Remain.

“We are working to bring the country together after the chaos and crisis created by the Tories.”

A Labour source said: “The NEC agreed the manifesto which will be fully in line with Labour’s existing policy; to support Labour’s alternative plan, and if we can’t get the necessary changes to the government’s deal, or a General Election, to back the option of a public vote.”

The party is torn between MPs who want any Brexit deal to be put to a “confirmatory” public vote, and allies of Jeremy Corbyn who only want a vote on a “Tory Brexit” or No Deal.

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