Tom Watson: I will vote for Brexit deal – but only if it leads to public vote

Theresa May’s deal is not a good deal. It doesn't work for the West Midlands or for the country. But we have to find a way to break this appalling Brexit deadlock.

So I want to send Theresa May a message: I will vote for your deal but only if you put it to a public vote, writes Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson.

When Leave won the referendum I resolved to respect the result. So did the Labour Party. We triggered Article 50 in good faith and Theresa May was tasked with delivering on the result and bringing the country back together.

Three years on there can be no doubt that she has failed. Now she’s trying to blame everyone but herself.

Her failed Brexit deal doesn’t work for the West Midlands. It doesn’t protect the manufacturing industry and companies like Jaguar Landrover, that are so important to this region and our communities.

Nearly 40 per cent of Birmingham and the Black Country’s exports go to the EU and 10,000 local businesses are involved in importing from the EU. New trade barriers and tariffs would be devastating.

This broken deal has been voted down by Parliament twice and is set to be voted down again next week. For those who voted leave it’s a lousy deal. For those who voted remain it’s a rubbish deal. There are no winners, only losers.

Theresa May’s Brexit agenda has been too influenced by the extreme right wing of her own party and for them only the hardest, cruellest Brexit – with no concern for jobs – will do.

Labour offered to work with the Government to come to a compromise position.

But Theresa May took a blinkered, tunnel vision approach and refused our olive branch. Now we find ourselves in the final days before Brexit facing an unprecedented national crisis, on the brink of falling recklessly out of the EU without a deal.

That’s not just irresponsible, it’s a disgraceful dereliction of duty.

The shambolic process has humiliated Britain on the world stage. Other nations cannot believe how we’ve got into this mess.

I despair too; and I’ve come to realise that after years of incompetence and broken promises whatever this Government tries to foist on us will fail the promises of Brexit, will fail to find acceptance in Parliament and, crucially, will leave bitterness and divide for many years to come.

The truth is Brexit is currently stuck in the pipework of Parliament, with MPs split – like much of the country, completely unable to agree or find a way forward.

This impasse doesn't work for those who voted to leave or those who voted to stay. Parliament cannot resolve this without a huge delay to Brexit. I don't think anyone wants that.

That’s why I’ve come to the reluctant view that the only way out of this crisis is to put it back to the people. The only way to bring closure is if we're all involved. We can only bring the country back together again if we all have a final say – and then live with the result.

So I say to 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 if you let the country vote on it too.

I haven’t come to this view lightly, but I can’t see any other way out of this. I don’t want the Brexit arguments to drag on for years to come, I want it settled for good.

I don’t trust the Prime Minister on this. I don’t trust Parliament on this. But I do trust the people of this country to finally resolve this mess.