THERESA May’s deputy revealed the Government is carrying out secret planning to hold a second Brexit referendum, Sir Vince Cable claims.
The Lib Dem leader said David Lidington told him holding another vote would be “perfectly practical”.
The revelation will spark uproar among Tory Brexiteers who are already in open revolt over Theresa May’s refusal to name a date for when she will quit.
Sir Vince and fellow hardline Remainer Heidi Allen both held talks with David Lidington on Thursday morning.
The Lib Dem chief – whose EU election slogan is “boll**s to Brexit – said he left sure the Government is planning for another vote.
He told The Sun: “He was perfectly straight – he set out the Government’s political position on it.
“And you have heard Theresa May say ad nauseam what a terrible idea it is.
The Government does not support a second referendum and is not preparing to hold one
Cabinet Spokesperson
“But it was very clear they are thinking about it, and they are doing a lot of practical planning in case it happens.
“David acknowledged that it was perfectly practical – it could be done within realistic time scales.
“There is an issue about the question. But they have thought about that – they could find a way of dealing with it.”
He said Mr Lidington said the Cabinet are opposed to a second referendum because they feared “it wouldn’t produce a decisive outcome”.
Mrs May has repeatedly said she will not hold another referendum. A U-turn risks tearing her party apart for good, and would almost certainly be the final nail in her coffin as leader.
By undermining the verdict of the EU referendum they are undermining the decision of 2014
Boris Johnson
But most Labour MPs are desperate to stop Brexit, and are demanding another referendum as the price of backing any deal in a parliamentary vote.
A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “The Government does not support a second referendum and is not preparing to hold one.”
A Cabinet Office source said they strongly denied Sir Vince’s account, branding it “wishful thinking”.
Meanwhile, last night Boris Johnson said Cabinet ministers have “canvassed the idea” of a second referendum.
He lashed those demanding another Brexit vote – warning they are risking the very existence of the United Kingdom by fuelling calls for the Scottish indyref to be re-run too.
In an impassioned speech in Aberdeen, he said: “By undermining the verdict of the EU referendum they are undermining the decision of 2014.
“They are doing the work of the SNP and they are threatening the union. And let us be in no doubt the damage the nationalists would do.
“They would not only destroy the oldest and most successful political union in the world, they would destroy the very concept of Britain.”
Ms Allen, who was also in the meeting with Mr Lidington, told The Sun: “What we learned was that David Lidington has clearly been putting a lot of thought into the mechanics and legislative process for a People’s Vote.”
