BBC host Jonathan Dimbleby confronted Baroness Smith on Labour's aversion to adopting a second Brexit referendum as party strategy. Labour defectors earlier this week cited the uncertainty about a people's vote as one of the reasons fuelling their decision to quit the party in addition to ongoing accusations of Anti-Semitism. The BBC Any Questions? presenter said: "Your party leader has, so far, accepted in principle but has set his face politically against having a second referendum or a people’s vote.
"There are many in your party – those who have left, some of them, have said that is a core reason. Do you believe that he has to move to a people’s vote or to accept it as part of not holding, in your view, the country to ransom?
"How long do you go on considering it before you put it on the table?"
Among the prominent MPs who defected to the Independent Group was Chuka Umunna, a prominent supporter of the People's Vote campaign. Colleagues Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker and Mike Gapes also quit Labour on Monday.
Baroness Smith insisted the party had decided to keep the option of a new vote on the final terms of the Brexit deal available but would only announce officially backing the option if the deal Theresa May is set to propose is once again rejected in the Commons.
READ MORE: BBC audience HOLLERS at prospect of second Brexit vote - 'Some support for that!
Brexit news: Dimbleby challenged the Labour peer to clarify her party stance on a new vote (Image: GHONE•PARLIAMENT TV)
The Labour peer said: "It has already been said. Our conference resolution made it absolutely clear it’s one of the things that has to be considered. It
