Labour shows it still has not accepted Brexit as it votes in favour of having second EU referendum at party conference

LABOUR members still want to block Brexit and have voted unanimously in favour of a motion which backs having a second EU referendum.

At the party conference in Liverpool the supporters backed the motion which says the UK should hold on to the option of remaining in the European Union if Theresa May does not get a good post-Brexit deal.

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It said this decision could be decided in another referendum.

The motion read: “[Conference] recognises that many of those who voted to leave the EU were expressing dissatisfaction with EU or national policy and were voting for change, but believes that unless the final settlement proves to be acceptable then the option of retaining EU membership should be retained.

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“The final settlement should therefore be subject to approval, through parliament and potentially through a general election, or a referendum."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said the result of the referendum vote on June 23 should be respected.

But Owen Smith, who had hoped to become the leader of the Labour Party, had said during his leadership campaign that there would have been a second referendum if he had become leader.

reports the motion was proposed by the TSSA railways union.

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A second EU referendum is not Labour policy, despite the motion being passed unanimously.

It will now be taken to the party’s policy forum which will take it into account – as well as other factors – when deciding Labour’s official EU policy.

The motion also says it could be decided through parliament “and potentially through a general election” so Labour may not choose to adopt a second referendum as official policy.

This is especially likely after Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership contest victory as he has said the result of June 23 should be respected.

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If Owen Smith had been elected as Labour leader a second referendum might have had a better chance of becoming the official Labour policy.

He had vowed to block Brexit unless Theresa May promised another referendum on the final Brexit deal or holds a general election to approve it.

The gaffe-prone politician was urged last month to accept the referendum result – or face “electoral suicide”.

Labour’s biggest donor John Mills said it was time for Labour to accept the EU Referendum vote and “engage productively” with the EU renegotiation process.