Labour is to ask the civil service to begin working up proposals for a fresh referendum on Brexit because of the likelihood of a general election later this year, John McDonnell has said.
The shadow chancellor said Jeremy Corbyn would seek formal discussions with civil servants when he meets Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, on Tuesday.
The pair will meet to discuss Labour’s calls for an independent investigation into reports that senior civil servants had claimed the Labour leader was “losing his memory” and “too frail”
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Mr McDonnell said Mr Corbyn would also Sir Mark for permission to open talks with civil servants on Labour’s Brexit plan, including proposals for a Final Say vote.
Speaking at a briefing in Westminster, he said: “At the moment the permanent secretary and cabinet secretary have said no to any pre-election discussions or meetings with the civil service. That was a civil service decision but they did consult Theresa May and Theresa May blocked those meetings as well.
“This morning because Jeremy is meeting Sedwill about this issue of the inquiry, I’ve asked him to raise at that meeting that we should now have access to the civil servants because of the likelihood of a change in prime minister happening and the likelihood therefore of a general election in the autumn. I think that’s just the pragmatic and practical thing to do.”
Asked if the potential discussions would involve civil servants being asked to draw up plans for another referendum, he said: “At the moment we’re consulting on our attitude in a second referendum but Jeremy has made it clear that it should go back to the people in a referendum.
“We’d expect, just as we’d expect the civil service to prepare for an incoming government, for them to prepare for all options, so that would have to be an option they’d have to prepare for.”
Mr McDonnell said he had previously warned senior civil servants not to repeat the “mistake” made by David Cameron in the run-up to the 2016 referendum, when the then prime minister told the civil service not to prepare for the possibility that Leave would win.
He said: “We’re getting ourselves into that situation at the moment where they’re not capable, because of that lack of dialogue with us, of preparing for a change of government. So it’s only responsible to enable those meetings to take place.”
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Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters attend a rally in Parliament Square after the final leg of the “March to Leave” in London
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The protest march which started on March 16 in Sunderland, north east England, finished on what was the original date for Brexit to happen before the recent extension
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A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament
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Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament
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A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square
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Remain supporters wave EU flags from a bus in Parliament Square
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A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament
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A Brexit supporter protests outside parliament
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A Brexit supporter protests outside of the Houses of Parliament
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Brexit supporters protest outside of the Houses of Parliament
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A pro-Brexit flag is waved in Parliament Square
Bioreports
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The March to Leave nears the Houses of Parliament
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A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament
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Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy
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Brexit supporters march outside parliament
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Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London
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Brexit supporters protest outside parliament
AFP/Getty
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A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament
Getty
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A man holds satirical paintings of politicians
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An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London
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Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament
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A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament
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A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament
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A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament
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A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament
PA
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Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters attend a rally in Parliament Square after the final leg of the “March to Leave” in London
Bioreports
2/30
The protest march which started on March 16 in Sunderland, north east England, finished on what was the original date for Brexit to happen before the recent extension
Reuters
3/30
Bioreports
4/30
Reuters
5/30
PA
6/30
Reuters
7/30
EPA
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A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament
AFP/Getty
9/30
Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament
AFP/Getty
10/30
A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square
Getty
11/30
Remain supporters wave EU flags from a bus in Parliament Square
PA
12/30
A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament
EPA
13/30
A Brexit supporter protests outside parliament
Reuters
14/30
A Brexit supporter protests outside of the Houses of Parliament
Getty
15/30
Brexit supporters protest outside of the Houses of Parliament
REUTERS
16/30
A pro-Brexit flag is waved in Parliament Square
Bioreports
17/30
The March to Leave nears the Houses of Parliament
Reuters
18/30
A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament
EPA
19/30
Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy
AFP/Getty
20/30
Brexit supporters march outside parliament
AFP/Getty
21/30
Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London
PA
22/30
Brexit supporters protest outside parliament
AFP/Getty
23/30
A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament
Getty
24/30
A man holds satirical paintings of politicians
Reuters
25/30
An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London
Reuters
26/30
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament
Getty
27/30
A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament
Reuters
28/30
A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament
Getty
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A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament
AFP/Getty
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A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament
PA
The shadow chancellor also insisted that he had no fears about discussing Labour’s policies with civil servants, despite the row over the reported comments about Mr Corbyn’s health.
He said: “I believe in the independence of the civil servants. From Northcote [the civil service reforms made in 1854] onwards that tradition has served us pretty well. Unfortunately this incident has demonstrated that obviously there’s a few people there that haven’t behaved to the standards that we would expect of the British civil service.
“I’m hoping that will be resolved quickly and we can start having these meetings, informing the civil service of the development of our policies and letting them prepare them for the incoming Labour government.”
Mr McDonnell said he believed that the “instability” of Boris Johnson made a general election later this year more likely.
He said: “I think it’s almost impossible to tell what will happen in September and October.
“I actually think the instability of Boris Johnson in all aspects of his life – the unstable nature of Boris Johnson and his political decision-making – means anything could happen.”
