Brexit: Dominic Grieve backs new referendum as 'sensible way' out of Britain's political crisis

Exclusive: Writing for The Independent, the ex-attorney general says a new vote offers a clear ‘democratic route’ out of the UK’s political crisis

Ex-cabinet minister Dominic Grieve has given his backing to a referendum on Britain’s future Brexit choices as “a sensible way forward” out of the UK’s current political crisis.

Writing exclusively for The Independent, Mr Grieve said he has concluded that a referendum now offers a clear “democratic route” for resolving the uncertainty around Britain’s future.

The ex-attorney general, who has led efforts to reshape Theresa May’s Brexit deal in parliament, argued that recent events have shown it is unclear whether any government proposal can now command a majority in the Commons.

The Independent today launches a campaign for the British people to have a Final Say on the Brexit deal agreed with Brussels, with Mr Grieve, Labour MP Chuka Umunna and Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran making the case today.

It comes as the most recent polling shows that amid the chaos of the Brexit process, the largest number of people in the UK would prefer to simply remain in the EU, if forced to choose between staying or going.

Mr Grieve has previously hinted that he would back a second referendum, saying only last Sunday that it may soon be “the only solution”. But his article for The Independent goes further.

He said: “I hear some argue that a referendum would be divisive, but it is difficult to see how it would be more so than what is happening now.

“I first raised this issue soon after the first referendum, although at the time I saw it as a rather remote possibility.

“But the further our political crisis deepens the more it seems to me to offer a sensible way forward. Such a referendum presupposes nothing.”

He wrote that if the electorate are determined to leave, and vote as such for the terms of withdrawal, then the decision can be beyond reproach.

Mr Grieve then added: “But to carry such change through in chaos, in order to discover a short time thereafter that the electorate are unhappy with the outcome would be a massive abdication of responsibility for good governance by both government and parliament.”

His intervention comes after former education secretary Justine Greening also gave her backing to a new referendum.

She said it is the “only solution” to take the decision out of the hands of deadlocked politicians and give it to the British people.

The Independent’s campaign, launched today, also calls for the public to be given a final say on the outcome of Brexit, deciding whether or not to accept a deal, if there is one, or deciding whether or not to leave without a deal.

Recent polling undertaken by BMG Research asked some 1,500 people in a balanced cross-section of the public: “should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union, or leave the European Union?”

Some 49 per cent said “remain”, while 43 per cent said “leave”, 7 per cent said they did not know and 1 per cent refused to answer.

When those who did not give a clear answer the first time were asked which way they are “leaning towards most”, a total of 51 per cent said “remain”, and 45 per cent said “leave”, while 5 per cent still said they did not know or refused to answer.

Source note: BMG Research interviewed a representative sample of 1,511 GB adults online between 3 and 5 July. Data is weighted. BMG are members of the British Polling Council and abide by their rules.