McDonnell wants another general election, not a second referendum

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said he would rather have a general election than a second EU referendum.

Mr McDonnell said another Brexit referendum would cause divisions again and the “better route” is to have a general election.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has previously stopped short of ruling out a second EU referendum when the Brexit terms are known.

Mr Corbyn insisted last month that he was not calling for a new national poll on withdrawal, but sidestepped questions on whether he could change his stance in the future.

Speaking on ITV’s Peston On Sunday, Mr McDonnell said a second Brexit referendum would “divide the country again”, adding: “Those divisions are really still there.”

He said he would worry about opening up the potential of “right wing xenophobia”, but added: “We’d never turn our back on democratic engagement.”

Mr McDonnell told Peston: “Well I think better we have a general election. On the issue, and all the other issues, because you then have a wider debate as well.”

Mr Corbyn told Peston last month: “We are not supporting or calling for a second referendum. What we have called for is a meaningful vote in parliament.”

When it was put to Mr Corbyn that he was not saying he would never support another referendum, the Labour leader said: “We are not calling for one either”.

Asked about a second referendum on any Brexit deal, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry told BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show last month: “If 90% of the population was now saying we must stay in the European Union and we must not leave then that would be a challenge that would be there for all of us who are democrats.”

Those divisions are really still there. SHADOW CHANCELLOR JOHN MCDONNELL