Former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale says public should have vote on final Brexit deal

FORMER Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has backed a public vote on the final Brexit deal.

The MSP said people should be given a final say if the terms of leaving the European Union do not include single market membership.

Ms Dugdale, who quit as leader last month, said Labour should be fighting harder to keep the UK in the trading bloc, adding that she was “embarrassed by the complete paucity of my party to say and do the right thing”.

Writing in her column for the Daily Record newspaper, she said: “I’m fraught with anger and frustration about Brexit.

“I blame David Cameron for calling a referendum no one wanted in the first place but I also blame my party, the Labour Party, for a totally lazy and lacklustre Remain campaign that got us here.

“And yes, I blame Jeremy Corbyn too for failing to use the power of his popular appeal to convince traditional Labour voters to see that Europe creates more good than harm.

“Not only that, now the country has spoken, I’m embarrassed by the complete paucity of my party to say and do the right thing no matter how hard or unpopular that might be at first.”

Ms Dugdale’s comments come as Labour divisions over Europe erupted at the party’s conference in Brighton.

The decision not to push the issue of Brexit to a vote on the conference floor has angered pro-EU members.

They want Mr Corbyn to commit Labour to keeping the UK permanently in the European single market and customs union after the UK leaves the EU.

Ms Dugdale added that “the biggest test for Labour has yet to come because leaving the EU without access to the single market is not what I believe the country voted for”.

“If that happens then Labour must insist that the final Brexit deal goes to another public vote to be ratified or rejected,” she said.