Senior Tory Demands Free Vote On A Second Brexit Referendum

“There are some colleagues who in their hearts want to back it now but feel like they have to justify to their associations and their constituents more widely that every other avenue has been exhausted.

“They are firmly of the view that’s where we’ll end up in the end.

“They are absolutely determined they will not be supporting or be part of something that delivers no deal.

“We could get there, I think, with a free vote on the Conservative side but it might just take another step in the process to make it absolutely clear that all the other options are out of the way.”

Wollaston acknowledged there are currently not enough MPs to form a majority for a ‘people’s vote’, but stressed her amendment would force Jeremy Corbyn into a decision on the issue.

She accused Corbyn of trying to row back on party policy which states that if he fails to force a general election, Labour must then “support all options remaining on the table, including campaigning for a public vote”.

The Labour leader has made clear he is ready to table repeated no-confidence motions in the government despite losing in his first attempt to force an election on Wednesday.

He will also table his own amendments to May’s plan B, putting forward his preferred solution of a customs union.

But Wollaston told Commons People: “(My amendment) will give the Labour leadership a week at which to decide what are they going to do? Are they going to get behind this or not?

“If they do not get behind it at that point I think there will be huge irritation because although it might not work at the first attempt, it cannot work until it has official Labour Party backing.”

She added: “Jeremy Corbyn has got to stop saying different things to his different voter bases and carry out the wishes clearly expressed and clearly promised that after the no confidence vote they would move to supporting a ‘people’s vote’ or a public vote as they refer to it.”