This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/feb/11/brexit-john-mcdonnell-democratic-engagement-second-eu-referendum
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| McDonnell: EU debate could still lead to election or referendum | McDonnell: EU debate could still lead to election or referendum |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| But shadow chancellor tells Peston on Sunday a new EU vote would risk dividing UK again | But shadow chancellor tells Peston on Sunday a new EU vote would risk dividing UK again |
| Jessica Elgot Political correspondent | Jessica Elgot Political correspondent |
| Sun 11 Feb 2018 12.22 GMT | Sun 11 Feb 2018 12.22 GMT |
| Last modified on Sun 11 Feb 2018 22.01 GMT | |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| View more sharing options | View more sharing options |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Close | Close |
| A second EU referendum would divide the UK again but Labour would not rule out further “democratic engagement”, John McDonnell has said, ahead of a series of speeches by cabinet ministers on Britain’s future after Brexit. | A second EU referendum would divide the UK again but Labour would not rule out further “democratic engagement”, John McDonnell has said, ahead of a series of speeches by cabinet ministers on Britain’s future after Brexit. |
| The shadow chancellor said the country was still smarting from the aftermath of the 2016 vote and he was doubtful another referendum would bring the country together. | The shadow chancellor said the country was still smarting from the aftermath of the 2016 vote and he was doubtful another referendum would bring the country together. |
| “Those divisions are really still there,” he told ITV’s Peston on Sunday, saying he was concerned about prompting rightwing xenophobia. Asked whether Labour would rule out a second referendum, he said: “We’d never turn our back on democratic engagement. | “Those divisions are really still there,” he told ITV’s Peston on Sunday, saying he was concerned about prompting rightwing xenophobia. Asked whether Labour would rule out a second referendum, he said: “We’d never turn our back on democratic engagement. |
| “I think better we have a general election. Better we have a general election. On the issue, and all the other issues, because you then have a wider debate as well.” | “I think better we have a general election. Better we have a general election. On the issue, and all the other issues, because you then have a wider debate as well.” |
| Earlier on Sunday, the Conservative MP Anna Soubry appeared alongside Labour’s Chuka Umunna on the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show, where she was asked whether pro-EU Tories might defeat “the kind of Brexit the prime minister wants”. | Earlier on Sunday, the Conservative MP Anna Soubry appeared alongside Labour’s Chuka Umunna on the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show, where she was asked whether pro-EU Tories might defeat “the kind of Brexit the prime minister wants”. |
| “If she’s not careful, yes,” Soubry said. Asked whether MPs might stop Brexit altogether, she said: “We won’t stop it. It is the people. We gave the people a referendum to start this process.” | “If she’s not careful, yes,” Soubry said. Asked whether MPs might stop Brexit altogether, she said: “We won’t stop it. It is the people. We gave the people a referendum to start this process.” |
| Umunna said: “There is no majority in the House of Commons for us simply to jump off a cliff.” | Umunna said: “There is no majority in the House of Commons for us simply to jump off a cliff.” |
| Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat leader, said appetite for rebellion was growing. “I am optimistic that the rebellions in both Tory and Labour parties will spread in coming weeks,” he said. | Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat leader, said appetite for rebellion was growing. “I am optimistic that the rebellions in both Tory and Labour parties will spread in coming weeks,” he said. |
| “My party is working with them, currently in the Lords. If any Tory and Labour parliamentarians are forced out by the forces of reaction in both parties, they are of course welcome to join us and continue the struggle in that way.” | “My party is working with them, currently in the Lords. If any Tory and Labour parliamentarians are forced out by the forces of reaction in both parties, they are of course welcome to join us and continue the struggle in that way.” |
| May is to make a long-awaited speech on her Brexit plans in three weeks, which will be given after a series of keynote speeches by senior ministers, dubbed the road to Brexit. | May is to make a long-awaited speech on her Brexit plans in three weeks, which will be given after a series of keynote speeches by senior ministers, dubbed the road to Brexit. |
| Boris Johnson will set out his case for a “liberal Brexit” this week in a speech designed to appeal to remain voters, followed by an address by May on security cooperation in Munich, where she is expected to announce that the UK intends to remain a member of Europol. | Boris Johnson will set out his case for a “liberal Brexit” this week in a speech designed to appeal to remain voters, followed by an address by May on security cooperation in Munich, where she is expected to announce that the UK intends to remain a member of Europol. |
| The speech will take place after senior ministers gather for an awayday at Chequers to finally agree crucial positions on the transition period and future relationship. | The speech will take place after senior ministers gather for an awayday at Chequers to finally agree crucial positions on the transition period and future relationship. |
| David Davis, the Brexit secretary, and the international trade secretary, Liam Fox, will also give speeches, but the chancellor, Philip Hammond, and the home secretary, Amber Rudd, who advocate a soft Brexit, will not. David Lidington, the Cabinet Office minister who campaigned for remain, will also give a speech on devolution. | David Davis, the Brexit secretary, and the international trade secretary, Liam Fox, will also give speeches, but the chancellor, Philip Hammond, and the home secretary, Amber Rudd, who advocate a soft Brexit, will not. David Lidington, the Cabinet Office minister who campaigned for remain, will also give a speech on devolution. |
| Penny Mordaunt, the Brexiter international development secretary, said it was clear the public wanted to see “some meat on the bones” of May’s Brexit vision. | Penny Mordaunt, the Brexiter international development secretary, said it was clear the public wanted to see “some meat on the bones” of May’s Brexit vision. |
| David Gauke, the justice secretary, said there was no sinister motivation behind the fact that Hammond would not be among the cabinet heavyweights giving Brexit speeches over the next three weeks. | David Gauke, the justice secretary, said there was no sinister motivation behind the fact that Hammond would not be among the cabinet heavyweights giving Brexit speeches over the next three weeks. |
| “He is not part of the set of speeches that have been outlined today, but that doesn’t mean that the chancellor is not expressing his views both internally in the cabinet conversations, but also externally,” he told Peston on Sunday. | “He is not part of the set of speeches that have been outlined today, but that doesn’t mean that the chancellor is not expressing his views both internally in the cabinet conversations, but also externally,” he told Peston on Sunday. |
| “So I don’t think that there really is anything in this that this is somehow any kind of plot to gag a particular faction of ministers. I don’t think that’s a fair characterisation at all.” | “So I don’t think that there really is anything in this that this is somehow any kind of plot to gag a particular faction of ministers. I don’t think that’s a fair characterisation at all.” |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| European Union | European Union |
| Foreign policy | Foreign policy |
| Article 50 | Article 50 |
| Europe | Europe |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |