(Bloomberg) -- Tom Watson, deputy leader of the main U.K. opposition Labour Party, will offer to vote for Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal in Parliament -- but only if she agrees to then put it to a public vote.
Watson will tell a rally organized to push for a second referendum in London on Saturday that he came to the decision reluctantly, and that compromise was needed to break the deadlock in Parliament on the best path forward, according to a statement by the People's Vote campaign.
“I have an explicit message for Theresa May: I will vote for your deal or a revised deal you can agree with my party. I will help you get it over the line to prevent a disastrous no-deal exit. But I can only vote for your deal -- or any deal -- if you let the people have a vote on it too,” Watson will say.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said he'll back an amendment to May's deal proposed by two of his backbench lawmakers Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson, which offers to let her plan go through in exchange for a referendum. However, that proposal would see Labour abstain in the vote on May's deal, rather than voting for it as Watson's comment suggests.
To contact the reporter on this story: Jessica Shankleman in London at jshankleman@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Stuart Biggs, Andrew Langley
©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
