The poorest will be hit hardest if Theresa May pursues a “catastrophic” no-deal Brexit, John Major has warned, as he said a fresh referendum was nearing.
The former Conservative prime minister said the motto of MPs wrestling with a way out of the crisis, with the negotiations stalled, should be “people, people, people”.
Sir John said he “did not much like” the Chequers plan put forward by the prime minister, but attacked the refusal of Brexiteers to compromise.
“If every compromise reached by the cabinet is blocked by this minority of irreconcilable, hardline, utterly committed, anti-Europeans, then we will not actually get to the negotiations.
“We will fall out without a deal, then it will be damaging for Europe but catastrophic for us.”
Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme, he said: “It is the people who have the least who will end up being hurt most.”
Sir John also said he now believed a further Brexit referendum might be the only way to avoid even “greater disillusion than we have seen”.
“Frankly, a second vote has democratic downsides. It has difficulties,” he warned, but he added: “Is it morally justified? I think it is.
“If you look back at the Leave campaign, a great many of the promises they made were fantasy promises. We now know they are not going to be met.
“A referendum isn't an easy option, but it's not one at this stage that I would rule out.”
Nicky Morgan, a leading pro-EU Tory insisted parliament would not allow a no-deal outcome – provided her fellow Conservatives were brave enough to speak out.
“I do believe there is a majority in parliament, there’s a majority on the Conservative benches, who would not accept a no deal,” she told the BBC.
“They have got to find the courage to voice that and to make that very clear – and we are running out of time.”
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