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BREXIT: Diane Abbott is supporting a People's Vote

DIANE ABBOTT has said a People’s Vote is the “right thing to do” and that it there is no contradiction between having another public vote on Brexit and respecting the result of the 2016 referendum.

The shadow home secretary said that while a general election is Labour’s preferred course of action, it is strongly supporting a second referendum even though it’s “perfectly possible” that leave could win for a second time.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Abbott said: “The People’s Vote has always been part of our policy package”

“Ideally we would want a general election, that’s always been our position, it remains our position but as the clock ticks down if we’re not going to have a general election we would support a People’s Vote.

“And let me just say this, there is no inherent contradiction between respecting the result of the referendum and having a People’s Vote. Not least because it’s still not sure how a People’s Vote would pan out. I’ve always argued that it’s perfectly possible that leave would win again. But we’re supporting a People’s Vote strongly now because it’s the right thing to do and it’s the democratic thing to do.”

While Abbott was clear about her views on Brexit, she said the issue was still under discussion within the party.

“In the event that there was a People’s Vote and remain was on the ballot paper, which I think it should be, then I’d personally would be supporting remain. However...this is something Labour need to decide collectively.”

After the European Election results, Abbott, who thanked voters in Hackney for helping the party top the polls there, said Labour’s poor performance in the polls meant the party needed to demonstrate more clearly where it stands in regards to a second referendum.

She said: “We have to take the time to analyse the EU vote. But, when we come in third after the Brexit party, that is a clue something is wrong with our strategy. We need to listen to our members and take a clearer line on a public vote.”

She said today that she believed the party was moving towards that clearer line.

Labour MP for Wigan Lisa Nandy said a second referendum on Brexit could be the "final breach of trust" with the party's working class voters who want to leave the European Union.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Nandy said: "There is a huge frustration amongst Labour voters who voted leave in towns like mine to see leading figures from the Labour party out calling for a second referendum before there's been any serious attempt to implement the result of the first."

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