Andrew Adonis Responds To Ken Clarke: Revoke Article 50 But Hold Second Referendum

5 January 2019, 12:48

Labour peer and leading Remainer Andrew Adonis responds to Ken Clarke's call for Article 50 to be revoked but adds that the public should then be able to have a second referendum afterwards.

Lord Adonis said that Conservative MP Ken Clarke was right to call for the government to revoke Article 50, but thinks that Brexit should be handed back to the people in a second referendum.

Speaking to Matt Frei, Andrew Adonis said: "Given we've only got two months to go until we leave the EU, frankly whether we go with Theresa May's deal, whether we hold a referendum or scrap the whole thing, still requires us now to revoke Article 50 because we just can't get our ducks in a row by the end of March."

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He said: "Unless a miracle happens, Theresa May's deal is going to be defeated.

"When its defeated, something has to happen.

"There are only two credible propositions as to what can happen, one is more negotiations and the second is a referendum to put a stop to the whole thing.

"The problem with negotiations, is that if you get Jeremy Corbyn, Theresa May, Nigel Farage, and Boris Johnson in a room together, what chance do you think there is of them agreeing on what the negotiating brief would be?

"So by process of elimination I think we will end up with a referendum."