McDonnell: New Brexit Referendum Should Not Include Remain Option theguardian.com

A fresh Brexit referendum should be only about a departure deal and should not include the option of staying in the EU, John McDonnell has indicated, in comments likely to dismay Labour members pushing for a so-called people’s vote.

The shadow chancellor said he would back the idea of a new referendum if a general election did not happen. But he argued that while it was up to parliament to decide the question, he believed it should be just “a vote on the deal itself”.

“If we are going to respect the last referendum, it will be about the deal, it will a negotiation on the deal,” McDonnell said.