Brexit news latest: Vince Cable tells Michel Barnier to prepare for People's Vote

UK opposition party leaders at the meeting with Mr Barnier in Brussels on Thursday
Yves Herman
James Morris25 October 2018
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Sir Vince Cable and fellow opposition party leaders have told Michel Barnier to start preparing for a “People’s Vote” on Brexit.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince, the Scottish National Party’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford, Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts and Green MEP Molly Scott Cato had an hour of talks with Mr Barnier in Brussels on Thursday.

They told the EU’s Brexit negotiator that there is “cross-party resistance” in Parliament to the withdrawal deal being pursued by Theresa May.

Sir Vince said after the meeting: “My message to Michel Barnier was clear: it's time to start serious contingency planning for a People's Vote.

“We know the UK government has started making such plans as a result of the growing demand for such a vote, demonstrated by last weekend's march.

"The EU should do the same, because MPs who back the people's vote are fast forming the biggest and most cohesive bloc in Westminster."

Ian Blackford, Liz Saville-Roberts and Vince Cable at St Pancras station on Thursday on their way to talks with Mr Barnier
Stefan Rousseau/PA

Prime Minister Ms May has consistently rejected talk of a second referendum.

Meanwhile, mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who is also backing a People’s Vote, launched an attack on Downing Street, saying: “I am deeply concerned that the government is wholly unprepared for whatever kind of Brexit takes place: be that a bad deal, or even worse, no deal at all.”

Additional reporting by Press Association.

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