The Labour Party has maintained it would work to secure a general election to eventually take over Brexit negotiations – but senior members have expressed their support for a second referendum. The Scottish Labour Party on Saturday unilaterally agreed to back calls for a new vote on the final agreement with the European Union and announced they would campaign to remain in the event of a second referendum. But shadow International Business Secretary Barry Gardiner shot down suggestion Labour would be able to have a fresh vote telling BBC host Andrew Marr: “You know very well that the whole mechanism of Parliament means that we have, as the Opposition, no power to deliver a second referendum.

“What we do have is one power that could actually force the Government and that is to call for a motion of no-confidence in the Government.

“We might be able to – certain Tories have said they would actually, in the circumstance of a no deal, support a motion of no confidence in the Government.

“In order to get a second referendum the Government would have to introduce legislation and the Government has made clear they don’t want to do that.”

The Labour leadership has been facing growing pressure to clarify their stance on a second referendum following severe losses at the local and European elections in May.

LISTEN HERE: Latest Brexit news from the Express.co.uk Final Countdown podcast

After the European Parliament poll, during which Labour lost 10 MEPs, shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry claimed their performance could have been improved had Labour openly supported calls for a second referendum.

Mrs Thornberry told the BBC: “We went into an election where the most important issue was what was our view on leaving the European Union and we were not clear about it.

“We were not clear on the one single thing that people wanted to hear and that wasn’t the candidates’ fault.

“We should have said quite simply that any deal that comes out of this government should be put to a confirmatory referendum and that Remain should be on the ballot paper and that Labour would campaign to Remain.

“That’s what we should have done and I think that it’s very unfortunate that after these elections we will have to look very carefully at why we got this result.

“Members of the National Executive Committee, who made the decision on policy, will need to be listening to the membership and learning from that.”

Jeremy Corbyn has faced longstanding pressure to commit to a decisive line on Brexit.

The MP for Islington North has been blamed for his party missing out on “hundreds of thousands” of potential votes in the European elections because of the unclear Brexit stance.

But despite demands to hold a second referendum, campaign group Labour Leave has urged the party to stop blocking a no deal Brexit or it could well “face extinction in five years”.

In a hugely damaging report, entrepreneur John Mills warned the party that it could leave a substantial number of its voters if it shuns a no deal Brexit.

Adding to that report, Labour Leave boss, Brendan Chilton added that the party may be under serious threat if they fail over Brexit.

Mr Chilton added: “If we get this wrong, it may very well be possible that the Labour Party does not exist in five years.

“Many Labour MPs have been taken in by scare tactics, but it is time for us to be more open to alternative solutions.”

Source: Read Full Article