Labour sends John McDonnell into cross-party Brexit talks after he hints a second referendum would be needed to protect any deal from a Brexiteer replacement for May 

• Shadow chancellor John McDonnell is leading cross party Brexit talks for Labour 
• He hinted on Wednesday a new referendum would be needed on any Brexit deal 
• Labour is determined to shield any deal from a Brexiteer PM like Boris Johnson  
• May and Corbyn met last night and the talks have now lasted for nine days

Labour sent John McDonnell into the cross-party Brexit talks today after he hinted a second referendum could be the price for a deal.

The shadow chancellor is leading the negotiations today after Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn held a surprise second meeting yesterday afternoon.

Mrs May’s deputy David Lidington and Environment Secretary Michael Gove are leading the talks for the Government today.  

Labour is insistent any deal struck with the Government to pass the Brexit divorce deal must be protected from any replacement for Mrs May in No 10.

On Wednesday night Mr McDonnell told ITV’s Peston a ‘public vote’ could be the way to secure a deal ‘for the long term’.

Mrs May signalled the talks are more advanced than had been thought yesterday as she told MPs  there was ‘more agreement in relation to a customs union than is often given credit’.

She also hinted at plans to bring forward legislation to implement the Brexit deal before any new ‘meaningful vote’ to try and approve it at a fourth attempt.

Labour sent John McDonnell (pictured on Peston on Wednesday) into the cross-party Brexit talks today after he hinted a second referendum could be the price for a deal

The shadow chancellor is leading the negotiations today after Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn held a surprise second meeting yesterday afternoon 

Mr Corbyn also hinted at progress in the Commons yesterday – and did not repeat his claim Mrs May has refused to shift her position.

He said: ‘I welcome the indications from the Government that they may be willing to move in the key areas that have prevented the Prime Minister’s deal from being supported on this side.’

Addressing MPs after agreeing the Halloween Brexit extension, Mrs May said it was ‘in the national interest’ to reach a consensus. 

She added: ‘This is not the normal way of British politics and it is uncomfortable for many in both the Government and opposition parties.

‘Reaching an agreement will not be easy, because to be successful, it will require both sides to make compromises. 

‘But however challenging it may be politically, I profoundly believe that in this unique situation where the House is deadlocked, it is incumbent on both front benches to seek to work together to deliver what the British people voted for.’

Mrs May said she hoped to agree a ‘single unified approach’ with Labour. If this fails, she will ask Mr Corbyn to agree a process that would see both sides accept the outcome of a series of votes on Brexit options, including a customs union.

The PM also outlined a third option involving bringing forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which would ratify her Brexit deal, and allowing MPs to vote on amendments to it as it progresses. 

She said: ‘We could bring forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which is a necessary element of any deal, whichever course we take.

‘This bill will take time to pass through both Houses, so if we want to get on with leaving, we need to start this process soon.

‘And it could also provide a useful forum to resolve some of the outstanding issues in the future relationship.’

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said the Government was ‘certainly willing’ to discuss a customs union compromise with Labour

Tory MP Conor Burns, an ally of Boris Johnson, said the talks with Labour amounted to ‘two Remainers debating how to compromise on something that really isn’t even Brexit’, adding: ‘This has moved beyond embarrassing to humiliating’.

£1.5bn No Deal plan axed 

NO DEAL Brexit plans were called off last night as the Government stood down 6,000 civil servants who were due to implement them.

The cost of preparing to leave the EU without an agreement had been estimated at £1.5 billion.

But after Theresa May struck an agreement to delay Brexit, civil servants seconded from elsewhere have been able to return to their normal roles.

Labour MP Hilary Benn, chairman of the Brexit select committee, said it was a ‘costly price’ to pay for the PM’s negotiating stance of keeping No Deal on the table. Downing Street said it continued to make ‘all necessary’ Brexit preparations.

But other senior Tories backed Mrs May. Scottish Secretary David Mundell said the Government was ‘certainly willing’ to discuss a customs union compromise with Labour. 

And ex-minister Andrew Murrison suggested a customs union would be a price worth paying for getting a deal through. 

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox suggested that the Tories would even discuss the possibility of a vote on a second referendum, a key demand of Labour activists.

However, the DUP hinted it could pull the plug on the Government if Mrs May tries to keep her Brexit deal alive.

Their ‘confidence and supply’ deal with the Tories is up for renewal at the end of the parliamentary session, due in June. 

Sources say the DUP could refuse to back the Queen’s Speech if it contains Mrs May’s deal – providing an incentive for the Government to keep the session going.

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