Owen Jones was shut down as he insisted a no deal Brexit would economically harm a large number of British voters, especially in Leave-supporting areas. Telegraph comment editor Sharelle Jacobs branded the left wing commentator as “flippant” for his suggestion as the pair traded barbs on Sky News. Ms Jacobs said: “I think there’s a lot of people flippantly saying we need a second referendum or that we need to have a softer Brexit – which, for the record, isn’t a real Brexit but practically remaining without a seat at the table – I find that quite flippant.

“I find the notion of going back to the people who voted to leave and say ‘well, sorry, let’s have another referendum because you answered the question on whether or not to leave the EU wrong the first time.’

“Or saying ‘sorry, we had a go. We spent three years trying to do it and we couldn’t manage’ – I find that quite flippant too.”

Mr Jones had previously voiced his criticism for supporters of a no deal scenario, arguing those truly affected by a potential crash-out from the European Union after nearly three years of negotiations would want a deal to be found.

He said: “For those who, quite flippantly, come on national television shows to flippantly call for no deal and then concede there would be disruption, a euphemism if I’ve ever heard one – neither I nor my opponent would suffer the consequences of a no deal.

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“It is the people out there often, not least in working-class communities, who voted for leave who will suffer. They’re the ones whose jobs are at risk, they’re the ones who’ll have to pay more, they’re the ones whose living standards have already been squeezed.

“For the longest period since the Napoleonic Wars, it is never the elites who suffer from a crisis, they always protect themselves. It will always be ordinary people who suffer.”

He added: “A no deal situation would make this country look even more the laughing stock it currently is, a banana republic at best. It would damage us economically and internationally.”

Theresa May reiterated a no deal scenario would not be ideal for the country after a gruelling seven-hour meeting with her Cabinet on Tuesday afternoon. 

In a statement at the end of the meeting in Downing Street, Mrs May announced the British Government will seek a further extension of the Brexit process to May 22. 

Mrs May maintained the UK could make a “success” of a no deal Brexit but leaving with the EU is still the “best solution”. She added the extension to Article 50 should be “as short as possible”

The Prime Minister added a bill to pave the way for the departure from the EU would have to be in place by May 22 to ensure the UK does not have to take part in European Parliament elections the following day.

She said: “I have always been clear that we could make a success of no-deal in the long term but leaving with a deal is the best solution.

“So we will need a further extension of Article 50 – one that is as short as possible and which ends when we pass a deal.

“And we need to be clear what such an extension is for: to ensure we leave in a timely and orderly way.”

Mrs May also announced she will also try to break the “logjam” by striking a compromise with Jeremy Corbyn.

But she warned this would have to include her current Brexit deal despite MPs having rejected it three times in as many months since the start of the year.

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