Philip Hammond drops Brexit bombshell as he declares second referendum 'credible'

The push for a second Brexit referendum won a major boost last night as the Tory Chancellor declared it "credible".

Philip Hammond said Parliament "deserved" to look at a public vote to "confirm" any deal Britain reaches with the EU.

The powerful support exposes a Tory split just as Theresa May paves the way to a softer Brexit through talks with Jeremy Corbyn .

Labour 's leader is under pressure from Labour MPs not to accept Mrs May's offer unless it is put to a public vote.

And last night the Tory Chancellor told ITV's Peston: "It’s a perfectly credible proposition.

"Some ideas have been put forward which are not deliverable, they are not negotiable.

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Theresa May is paving the way to a softer Brexit through talks with Jeremy Corbyn - and a crucial question is whether he'll demand she backs a People's Vote (AFP/Getty Images)

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"But the confirmatory referendum idea - many people will disagree with it, I’m not sure there is a majority in Parliament for it - but it’s a perfectly credible proposition and it deserves to be tested in Parliament."

Mrs May's fierce opposition to a second referendum appeared to have lessened yesterday.

Questioned at Prime Minister's Questions, she stopped short of her usual tactic of condemning a 'People's Vote' - instead simply saying MPs should work together to find a deal.

But SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon later said the PM had branded a public vote "divisive".

And Health Secretary Matt Hancock hit back at the Chancellor today, saying a second referendum "would be divisive, it wouldn’t be decisive".

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Mrs May's fierce opposition to a second referendum appeared to have lessened yesterday at PMQs (AFP/Getty Images)

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Mr Hancock told Sky News: "A second referendum isn’t about delivering Brexit, it’s about having another go."

Mr Hammond's comments also prompted fury among Tory MPs.

Former whip Michael Fabricant questioned whether the Chancellor had "gone rogue".

And Andrea Jenkyns told BBC's Newsnight the Prime Minister should resign for a "fresh approach" to Brexit.

European Research Group deputy chairman Steve Baker told Peston the leadership of the Conservative Party was "out of step with members and, I think, the country".

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But Nicola Sturgeon told the Mirror she later branded a public vote "divisive" (AFP/Getty Images)

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During his interview Mr Hammond also said the UK faces a potentially lengthy delay to Brexit.

But he stressed that the Government wanted to ensure that any extension to the Article 50 process could be cut short if a deal was agreed by MPs.

He said the Government wanted "absolute clarity that as soon as we have done the deal we are able to bring that extension to an end".

During his interview Mr Hammond also said the UK faces a potentially lengthy delay to Brexit (AFP/Getty Images)

Mr Hammond also signalled a major softening of Brexit in talks with Jeremy Corbyn.

The Chancellor said "some kind of customs arrangement is clearly going to be part of the future structure".

"When you enter into a negotiation like this to find a compromise way forward, both parties have to give something up.

"There is going to be pain on both sides."