Brexit new twist: Labour Executive Committee agrees on a new Brexit referendum

The Brexit is taking a whole new twist against Theresa May’s will and plan which she had laid down after the previous failure of the same.

The Prime Minister had come up with options to the Brexit after the opposition party floored it a number of times but things seem to have taken a whole new twist.

Labour’s ruling body has come to an agreement on a second Brexit referendum after a marathon five-hour meeting.

In a victory for Jeremy Corbyn’s allies on the ruling National Executive Committee, the party will support a new public vote but only in certain circumstances.

The party’s EU election manifesto will commit to supporting a new poll if it cannot get a general election or “necessary changes” to the government’s Brexit deal.

This policy closely mimics a motion that was agreed at September’s party conference.

It stops well short of demands by some members, including Deputy Leader Tom Watson, for any Brexit deal to be put to a confirmatory public vote.

Despite this, however, Remainder MPs claimed victory tonight because they believe the “necessary changes” to Theresa May’s Brexit deal won’t happen.

Pro-referendum Labour MP Stephen Doughty said it was “great news” while colleague Mary Creagh said she was “glad”, adding: “The only Brexit deal is government’s deal. There is no majority for it in Parliament.”

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Labour’s European Elections manifesto was agreed at the NEC today and it will be published soon.

“Labour is the only party which represents both people who supported Leave and Remain. We are working to bring the country together after the chaos and crisis created by the Tories.”

A Labour source said: “The NEC agreed the manifesto which will be fully in line with Labour’s existing policy; to support Labour’s alternative plan, and if we can’t get the necessary changes to the government’s deal, or a General Election, to back the option of a public vote.”

Tom Watson left this morning’s Shadow Cabinet while it was still ongoing as senior figures split over whether to demand a second referendum.

A source claimed he “stormed out” after Jeremy Corbyn’s team refused to hand out hard copies of Labour’s draft EU elections manifesto.

The party is torn between MPs who want any Brexit deal to be put to a “confirmatory” public vote, and allies of Jeremy Corbyn who only want a vote on a “Tory Brexit” or No Deal.

It’s thought Jeremy Corbyn’s position will win out with the 41-strong NEC, which began meeting at 11am today.

Ahead of the meeting Labour’s Shadow Cabinet was due to discuss the document for the elections on May 23. But a row erupted when Jeremy Corbyn’s aides did not hand out hard copies of the manifesto.

It comes two years after the party’s manifesto for the snap general election was leaked in its entirety to the Mirror. Labour is split at the highest levels on whether to demand a referendum that would “confirm” any Brexit deal or remain in the EU instead.

A string of shadow ministers wants this to be Labour policy and demand in talks with Theresa May. But others say Labour should only demand a second referendum if it is needed to avoid a damaging Tory Brexit or ‘No Deal’.

The issue then came to a head at the NEC, where reps were discussing Labour’s manifesto for the EU elections on May 23.

Pro-EU Labour supporters had sent more than 2,000 e-mails to the NEC urging them to include a “confirmatory” vote on any deal in the manifesto.

The Unison, GMB and Usdaw unions who all have NEC reps – also demanded the manifesto includes the policy, as did key members of the pro-Corbyn group Momentum.

But their pleas were unsuccessful today at the NEC, where supporters of Jeremy Corbyn have a majority.

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