LABOUR has been accused of "fraud" after revealing that they will not vote for a second Brexit referendum in the Commons tonight.
A number of furious remain-supporting MPs have accused the party leadership of compromising with the Tories over Brexit.
But Labour say today should be about the government’s motion to extend Article 50, and delaying Britain's exit from the EU.
One of the four amendments to that government motion to be voted on tonight, tabled by The Independent Group’s Sarah Wollaston, calls for a People’s Vote on Brexit.
Labour is set to abstain.
Wollaston’s colleague in TIG, Anna Soubry, asked Labour’s frontbench Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer to explain his party's position.
"It seems that the opposition policy has changed again,” she said. "As I understand it from his party conference, having failed to get its own version of Brexit through, it would then seek a general election, if that failed it would then back a People's Vote.
"Now it seems that his party's policy is to compromise with the government to facilitate Brexit."
Starmer said Labour supported a People's Vote, but that today is "a question about whether Article 50 should be extended and whether we can find a purpose".
He pointed to a statement from the People's Vote campaign, published this afternoon, in which they argued that now was not the time for MPs to vote for a new referendum.
The group said: "We do not think today is the right time to test the will of the house on the case for a new public vote.
"Instead, this is the time for parliament to declare it wants an extension of Article 50 so that, after two-and-a-half years of vexed negotiations, our political leaders can finally decide on what Brexit means.
"That is because a People’s Vote is not just another option in this Brexit crisis – it is a solution to this crisis."
But the SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford told Starmer that while the timing might not be perfect, MPs should make their support for a new referendum known.
"We have that opportunity with the amendment today to express the views of people in the House of Commons that we must have a People's Vote,” he said.
"I implore him not to stand against the amendment today, but I'm afraid Labour will be found out for what they are, a fraud, and they're participating in Brexit happening, if they fail to back the People's Vote happening this afternoon."
Starmer accused Blackford of “great rhetoric” and “no substance”.
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