“I will not support second referendum,” says Doncaster MP after Labour backs new Brexit vote

Doncaster MP Caroline Flint has said that she will not support a second referendum on Brexit – after Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn announced that the party would now support a second vote.
Alisdair and Abigail face having to cancel their £5,000 honeymoon to Sri Lanka. (Photo: PA).Alisdair and Abigail face having to cancel their £5,000 honeymoon to Sri Lanka. (Photo: PA).
Alisdair and Abigail face having to cancel their £5,000 honeymoon to Sri Lanka. (Photo: PA).

The Don Valley MP said Labour was in ‘danger of overturning an election promise’ after the party leadership announced a significant shift in its policy - a decision to back another referendum if its own alternative Brexit plan is rejected.

But she said such a move would ignore the wishes of millions of Labour voters who voted Leave at the 2016 referendum.

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She said: “Labour in danger of overturning an election promise to respect the 2016 Referendum result.

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“We can’t ignore millions of Labour Leave voters.

“There are Labour MPs like me who will not support a second refrerendum. Jeremy Corbyn, give us a free vote so Labour MPs can keep their promises.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Theresa May is facing the threat of a revolt by Remain-supporting ministers as she chairs a crucial cabinet meeting on her Brexit negotiations.

Three say they will resign unless the PM agrees to take no-deal off the table, and there are suggestions that more are prepared to follow suit.

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There have also been calls to delay Brexit beyond March 29 to avoid the possibility of a no deal.

Mrs May's Brexit deal was comprehensively rejected by MPs on 15 January and she has said they'll get a second chance to vote on it - possibly with some changes - by 12 March.

Mr Corbyn said: "One way or another, we will do everything in our power to prevent no deal and oppose a damaging Tory Brexit based on Theresa May's overwhelmingly rejected deal."

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said that if Labour's Brexit proposals did not get through Parliament "we, the Labour Party will either put down ourselves, or support an amendment, in favour of a public vote".

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That vote, he added, "ought to be on the option, on the one hand, of a credible leave deal and. on the other hand, remain".

The precise wording of the question on the ballot paper would have to be decided by Parliament, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.