Jo Swinson tabled a motion at the Liberal Democrats conference proposing to scrap Brexit completely should the party secure a strong majority at the next general election. The Lib Dem leader has been campaigning to overturn the result of the European Union referendum through either a people’s vote or a snap election. But BBC host Justin Webb pointed out her demands appear similar to SNP plans for a second referendum despite Ms Swinson’s vocal opposition to Scotland holding a new vote on independence. 

Mr Webb said: “When the SNP say that in Scotland, as they do repeatedly at elections, ‘we’ll get another referendum if people vote for us,’ you say to them no, you can’t, you shouldn’t.

“If they go into an election in Scotland – it seems like such a fundamental hypocrisy on your behalf – and say to the Scottish people, ‘we want to have a second referendum campaign and there’s no need for anything except your endorsement at that election,’ it’s the same as you going into an election saying what you’re saying to everyone else.”

The BBC presenter continued: “It’s a principle. It’s not about what the result might be, it’s a point of principle.

“Either you can overturn a referendum by putting something in your manifesto and getting elected or you can’t.”

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He added: “You say in Great Britain you can, but in Scotland, you can’t. It’s simply a different principle for Scotland as it is for the UK.”

Ms Swinson attempted to defend her position, insisting Lib Dems plans to stop Brexit are not the same as the SNP seeking to have a new vote in independence.

She said: “The SNP’s typical playbook is going into elections not mentioning independence, saying to people all sorts of other things they’re voting for. They say it’s not about independence then, after the vote, they claim it as a mandate.

“I want our country to thrive, Scotland in the UK and the UK in the EU. The problem right now, which whether it’s a People’s Vote or whether a general election can resolve, is how to get out of that chaos. What we’re talking about in terms of Scotland is the idea of an independence referendum adding more chaos into an already difficult situation.”

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The Lib Dems leader continued: “I’m saying the last thing Scotland needs right now is IndyRef 2. We’re better off staying together.

“The United Kingdom is stronger as four nations working together and I think the European Union is stronger as 28 countries working together.

“My general principle of being open and internationalist is about working together with other countries to face common challenged. It’s much more in consisted for the SNP to want to stay in the EU but out of the UK.”

Lib Dems members on Sunday pledged to revoke Article 50 without a referendum if they win a general election as a majority government.

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The decision however was met with criticism of senior member Norman Lamb, who claimed the party is “playing with fire.”

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Lamb said: “If we take this to the very limit in a situation where one side is vanquished entirely, I think there’s a real danger that we break the social contract in our country.

“And I think that we all have a responsibility of reuniting the country in a common endeavour.”

Boris Johnson is adamant the UK will leave the European Union on October 31 “come what may” and rejected calls from MPs to request an extension despite Parliament passing a law requiring the Prime Minister to do so.

Mr Johnson on Monday will meet with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Luxembourg to discuss British proposals for a new withdrawal agreement. 

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