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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Dan Bloom

Theresa May promises vote on second referendum in bombshell bid to pass Brexit deal

Theresa May today promised MPs a bombshell vote on holding a second referendum in a last-ditch bid to pass her Brexit deal.

The legally-binding vote will be included from the start as part of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill when it comes to the Commons, starting in the week of June 3.

That means if MPs vote for a second referendum the government will be forced to legislate for it, Mirror.co.uk reports.

Potentially that will allow the public to have the final choice between the existing Brexit deal and remaining in the EU.

But there's a catch - it will only be held if MPs pass the Bill, which contains the Brexit deal. If they reject it, Theresa May is likely to quit within weeks - and the Tories will spiral into a hard-right leadership contest.

The Prime Minister took her last throw of the dice in a hurriedly-announced speech at PWC HQ in central London.

Speaking after a three-hour meeting of the Cabinet, she proclaimed a "serious offer to MPs across Parliament - a new Brexit deal."

Mrs May said she knew delivering Brexit "was not going to be simple or straightforward."

And she admitted: "It has proved even harder than I anticipated."

But she urged MPs not to "give up", and said "there is now one last chance" to ensure Brexit happens with a deal.

Begging them to "move beyond the division of the referendum and into a better future", she said: "My aim was and is to deliver Brexit."

Mrs May said she will address MPs in a House of Commons statement on Wednesday.

Turning directly to them she said: "I have compromised. Now I ask you to compromise too."

This breaking news story is being updated.

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