COMPROMISES to allow a Brexit vote to be passed by Parliament will have to be underpinned by a People’s Vote, Labour’s deputy leader has said.

Tom Watson’s remarks came as MPs were today expected to take part in the second stage of the Brexit indicative vote process.

None of the eight alternatives to Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal was approved last week after Parliament took control of the Commons agenda.

Watson told BBC 1’s Andrew Marr Show that Labour were prepared to talk to the Government, if May was prepared to adopt a concessionary strategy.

He said: “We voted against it because it was uncoupled from the political declaration that we think could undermine the livelihoods of many families and workers in the United Kingdom that have lose out after nearly a decade of Tory austerity.

“We have to make sure that they are secure in any exit deal. And that’s why those red lines that we set down two-and-a-half years ago are so important.”

Father of the House, Ken Clarke, last week suggested a commitment to negotiate a “permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union with the EU” in any Brexit deal.

His motion was defeated by just eight votes – the smallest of any of the indicative votes taken, but Watson said the electorate would still have to decide.

“More than 80% of my colleagues voted for a People’s Vote this week. If the polls are true 80% of our members support it, there are over a million people sharing their concern in the demonstration a week-and-a-half ago,” he said. “Our members are looking for a huge change in our political economy – there are so many millions of losers after a decade of austerity.

“We need to move beyond Brexit and it seems to me the only we can do that is with a People’s Vote. A People’s Vote is the solution, not an option – it’s the way we can move the country on.”

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, speaking on Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, did not appear to be as confident as Watson.

“The principle is – and the half a million people who belong to the Labour party who are watching this programme – that they have a say in what our manifesto is,” she said.

“It isn’t as it was with Theresa May’s last manifesto, it’s isn’t a couple of people in a back room … I could tell you what Labour’s position is now and I can tell you what I would think would be in the manifesto but I can’t be sure because it is not for me to decide, it is for the membership to decide.”

Thornberry said something had to be done to break the Brexit deadlock, but she would not commit to a People’s Vote: “If we can’t agree something in Parliament then what do we do? Do we have a General Election or do we have a popular vote? These things need to be sorted out because we can’t be left with no deal.

“I think we are likely to leave the EU but I think we it is something we need to agree ourselves and I think there is a strong argument for asking the people to have the final say on this, particularly because everything is so controversial at this stage.”