Brexit latest: Young leaders from five political parties join forces to demand second referendum

Young leaders from five political parties have joined forces to demand that MPs give the public another Brexit referendum.

Youth representatives from the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru issued a joint call for a Final Say vote on any exit deal agreed by parliament, saying the "undeliverable promises" of Brexit "will hurt young people’s futures".

In a letter sent to all MPs, they urged politicians to "follow young people's example" and "work across party lines" to pass a Brexit deal and then put it to a public vote.

The letter was signed by the chairs of Labour Students, Young Conservatives for a People's Vote, the Young Greens, the Young Liberals and Plaid Youth.

It is believed to be the first time that youth representatives from the major political parties have come together to lobby MPs on Brexit.

In the letter, they said: "We don’t agree on many things, except that Brexit will be a disaster, both for our country and our respective parties.

"The recent elections show a clear trend: parties clearly backing a Final Say on any Brexit deal are doing well, as are the Brexit Party.

"No one can 'out-Brexit' Nigel Farage, and we believe it would be foolish to try."

The young leaders said the "contradictory and undeliverable promises of Brexit" had overshadowed British politics for years, meaning issues of concern to young people, including housing, knife crime and climate change, had been ignored.

They wrote: "We urge parliamentarians to follow young people’s example: work across party lines, and come together around an achievable compromise and then put it to the people in a referendum.

"Whatever Brexit deal parliament agrees, it needs to go back to the people in a confirmatory referendum."

The prospect of a Final Say referendum edged closer this week after Labour shifted its position following a disastrous showing in European Parliament elections.

After his party lost support to the Liberal Democrats and Green Party and slumped to 14 per cent of the vote, Jeremy Corbyn announced that he would now support a public vote on any Brexit deal - even one Labour supports.

Rania Ramli, chair of Labour students, told The Independent: "Young Labour voters, as well as young people no matter their politics, have always been entirely clear: we believe that the best thing for our futures, as well as the country's, is a confirmatory referendum on any agreed Brexit deal.

"My party's results in the European elections are a result of our confusing message on Brexit. Labour now needs to give full-throated supported for a People's Vote on all Brexit deals."

Jordan Byrne, chair of Young Conservatives for a People's Vote, said: "A confirmatory referendum is highly undesirable for Conservatives but there are really only three options left: no deal, a general election, or a People’s Vote.

"Given the disastrous European and local election results, the last thing the party needs is a general election, and the consequences of no deal would destroy our reputation for responsible governance for a generation. There is simply no other choice for Conservatives but to back a People's Vote."