Talks with Labour over brokering deal to restart
Talks aimed at brokering a deal on a Brexit that can command the support of the Commons will resume today between the UK government and Labour opposition.
Cabinet Secretary David Lidington is expected to lead the Government side, with Labour’s team led by shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer.
The talks resume as Labour deputy leader Tom Watson warned the party must back a second Brexit referendum to respond to the electoral challenge posed by Nigel Farage.
He said the party could not “sit on the fence” on the big
gest issue facing the country, in comments which appear aimed at putting pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to make a second referendum a red line issue in Brexit talks with Theresa May.
“Now that we know a bit more about what Brexit means, the very least that leavers and Remainers deserve is a final say – a confirmatory referendum – on any deal,” Mr Watson said. A new report has meanwhile claimed Britain’s electoral model preserves an “increasingly dysfunctional” two-party system and can “abet” extreme politics.
The Constitution Society found the first past the post (FPTP) system does little to encourage political moderation and instead increases political differences between the regions.
It recommended alternatives such as the two-round system, single transferable vote and additional member system be considered.
The report argued that FPTP can no longer be relied upon as a “bulwark against populism”, which keeps extreme parties out of Parliament.
Instead, it said if a radical faction gained control of one of the major political parties then FPTP would work to “preserve that party’s position”.
“This is because the psychological effect of the plurality system disincentivises a major party’s supporters from voting for a minor party in protest at its policies, since to do so would likely only help the major party’s main rival,” the Constitutional Society report said.