Labour’s lost leader John Smith would have backed a second referendum to escape Brexit ’s “destructive mess”, Tom Watson will say today.

He will urge Labour voters to support the party in the May 23 EU poll, even if they don’t like the party’s current Europe stance, to oppose Nigel Farage’s “nasty nationalism” .

In a speech to mark 25 years since Mr Smith’s sudden death, Labour’s deputy leader will say the party icon would have backed a “People’s Vote” to reverse the “great damage this process is wreaking on our country and our public debate”.

He will warn against “corrosive far-right sentiment posing as patriotism” and add: “John Smith would have seen this plastic patriotism for what it is and exposed them for what they are — base nationalists of the nastiest kind.”

Ex-PM Tony Blair yesterday urged ex-Labour voters who no longer back the party to vote for other Remain candidates, saying it was “important the “anti-Brexit side is larger”.

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