The Labour Party have repeatedly said they would vote against a “damaging” Tory Brexit and would fight to stop the UK leaving the EU without a Brexit deal. But, the shadow cabinet is reportedly expected to officially back the UK having another Brexit vote. Speaking on BBC’s Politics Live, host Jo Coburn quizzed Mr McDonnell about how the party would handle divisions on Brexit.

She said: “Before more discussion on climate change can go on, Brexit probably needs to be sorted out one way or another.

“It looks as if the shadow cabinet is going back Remain in a second referendum, that will be made clear tomorrow, we have been told.

“What are you going to say to the likes of Len McCluskey, the General Secretary of Unite, and the party Chairman, Ian Lavery, who are dead against it?”

Labour’s shadow chancellor said: “Well, the consultation is going on at the moment, we are a democratic party, we met as a shadow cabinet last week.

“That’s why we have got to respect other people’s views and allow them to express those views

John McDonnell

“All of our National Executive Committee members are being consulted by Jeremy Corbyn, he is meeting the union’s today to consult them.

“We meet again as a shadow cabinet tomorrow, and hopefully now we will arrive at a position we can then publicly campaign for.

“I am in the same position as Ian Lavery, my constituency voted Leave, but my view now is the first thing we need to do now is preventing a no deal Brexit.

“And actually I believe it is better going back to the people now and letting them have a say and in that campaign I would campaign for Remain because I think it protects people’s jobs and their living standards, but let’s have that debate and be honest about it and respect there will be different views.”

The BBC host claimed Mr McDonnell’s position was “clear”, but said: “My question is still the same, how do you square that with important figures in the Labour Party who are not interested in that debate, they are just vociferously against it, and they have said so repeatedly?”

Mr McDonnell replied: “That’s why we have got to respect other people’s views and allow them to express those views.”

The BBC host quickly interrupted saying: “And then reject them?”

Mr McDonnell continued: “I spoke to Jeremy Corbyn before about Harold Wilson, where he basically said ‘here is our party position, here is what I believe in, but yes there will be different views and people should have the right to express those views’. Particularly if they are representing the views of their local constituency. I completely understand that.

“That is the nature of this debate because this issue is so important and so fundamental to the future of our country, and to the living standards of our people.”

It comes after a letter by 26 Labour MPs said a second Brexit vote would be “toxic” to Labour voters.

Labour Party leader Mr Corbyn has been repeatedly criticised and accused of sitting on the fence with regards to Brexit.

Speaking over the weekend, Andrew Gwynne, shadow communities and local government secretary told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge: “The realisation is that whatever they come back to Parliament with between now and October, we have to go back to the people and we have to say ‘is this really the Brexit that you want?’”

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