Not voting Labour will let Nigel Farage win, warns party’s deputy

Tom Watson is expected to plead in a speech at the Fabian Society for supporters to back Labour in the polls next week.

“There are only two forces that can win this election – that nasty nationalism of the Farage Brexit Party, or the tolerant, compassionate outward looking patriotism of the Labour Party,” Watson will say.

“I can only plead with Labour supporters – don’t stay at home, don’t put that cross elsewhere, don’t let them win.”

Speaking before the speech, he told Radio 4’s Today programme: “The difficulty is just parliamentary arithmetic and Keir Starmer has alluded to this today as well, and John McDonnell did last week.

https://twitter.com/tom_watson/status/1127871812283531264

“The whipping arrangements for these deals is very difficult because MPs have hardened their positions within their parties so I think it would be very difficult.”

“If a deal could be found that inspires enough votes in Westminster then fine, but it seemed to me that that’s very, very difficult.

“And so my idea of a confirmatory ballot is not a religious point or a point of ideology, it’s just how do you get an outcome, how do you sort this out?

“And one way to do it are these two minority positions – the prime minister’s deal and those that think the people should have a say on the deal – plug them together and you build a majority.”

Interim CEO of Best for Britain Naomi Smith said it would be a “stitch-up” not to have a confirmatory vote.

“It would be an unacceptable outcome for the future of our country to have been stitched-up in a dark meeting room.

“These talks won’t work unless there’s a commitment to giving the people a final say.

“Parties of all stripes must now make this a reality. The public’s call for sign off on this awful Brexit process must be respected and delivered.”

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