Cable humbled as EU liberals deny support for referendum

SIR VINCE CABLE faced humiliation yesterday after European Union leaders disowned claims that they had backed calls for a second Brexit referendum.

The Liberal Democrats said eight liberal prime ministers had agreed a joint statement calling for the British people to be given a “final say” on the terms of the UK’S withdrawal deal.

But the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) quickly distanced itself from the claims and said “no statement has been agreed upon or released”.

If the eight prime ministers had backed such a statement it would have represented a major challenge to Theresa May, the Prime Minister, as she arrived in Brussels for a summit of EU leaders to urge them to agree the terms of a Brexit transition period. It would also have likely sparked a major backlash among Brexiteers and prompted fears of EU leaders trying to thwart the UK’S departure from the bloc.

But Sir Vince, the Liberal Democrat leader, appeared to be left humbled after ALDE tweeted: “Pertaining to the Lib Dem press release issued today on Brexit: at the ALDE leaders meeting of 22 March no statement has been agreed upon or released.”

The Liberal Democrats insisted the European leaders had agreed to back the call for a second referendum. A party spokesman said: “It was verbally agreed at the meeting but not signed.”

The ALDE group is lead by Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s Brexit coordinator. Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, and Charles Michel, the Belgian prime minister, were among those claimed to have given their backing to the statement.

However, according to the ALDE party website, Mr Michel did not attend the “Liberal Pre-summit”.

Meanwhile, Mr Rutte told Sky News that while a change in tack would be welcomed by liberals in the EU, any such decision would have to be made by “the UK itself ”.

He said: “‘If some way or another the UK would decide to change its position it would be highly welcomed I think by every of the liberal prime ministers, my impression is of almost everybody in the European Union.”

One year on Tobias Ellwood yesterday revisited the scene where he tried to save Pc Keith Palmer’s life through mouth-tomouth resuscitation following the terrorist attack in Westminster. The defence minister led tributes to Pc Palmer, who was fatally stabbed when he confronted terrorist Khalid Masood. Five people were killed on Mar 22 when the terrorist ploughed a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before attacking Mr Palmer. Earlier, Mr Ellwood fought back tears on television as he recalled the day terror was brought to the heart of the Palace of Westminster. “We heard a sound you never expect to hear … highvelocity gunshots that caused understandable panic.”