‘Public shift to Brexit poll 2’

THE “centre of gravity” on Brexit is shifting towards a second referendum on the final deal, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable has said.

Sir Vince was speaking as thousands of opponents of UK withdrawal from the EU in the South-West of England took part in the first of a series of regional days of action planned by the People’s Vote campaign across the country.

The Lib Dem leader was joining Conservative and Labour MPs and a Green MEP in addressing more than 700 supporters of a second referendum at Bristol’s Colston Hall.

Sir Vince rejected claims that it would be undemocratic to put the question of EU membership back to another public vote, after the 52%-48% victory for Leave in 2016.

Promises of a smooth and amicable withdrawal deal and a cash boost for the NHS had proved unfounded, Donald Trump’s protectionist policies had cast doubt on Brexiteers’ vision of new trade deals and voters were now more aware of the complexities of issues like the Irish border, he said.

“The world has changed,” he told Sky News. “It is perfectly reasonable to go back to the public and ask ‘Is this want you really want or do you want to stay in the EU and reform it from within?’

“It is a perfectly legitimate democratic expression.

“It is perfectly normal in countries that have a tradition of referendums – which we haven’t in the UK – to have confirmatory votes at the end to see whether people are happy with what the Government has negotiated.”

Sir Vince said it was quite possible that MPs would find it impossible to deliver a majority in the House of Commons on any of the most likely outcomes – a no-deal Brexit, a negotiated deal along the lines proposed by Theresa May or continued EU membership.

And he said it would be “difficult” if MPs attempted to reverse the 2016 result without securing the explicit consent of the public.

“I think it is difficult when you have had a public vote for Parliament to then overturn it,” he said. “I think there is a need to go back to the public.”

Sir Vince pointed to a nationwide poll of more than 10,000 voters which this week found that Britain would back continued EU membership by 53% to 47% if a referendum was held now.