Labour peer blasted after claiming Brexit backers didn’t know what they were voting for in call for 2nd referendum
Baroness King said it was 'only fair and democratic' people got a chance to decide on the final deal to leave the EU
A LABOUR peer was attacked for being “patronising” after claiming Brexit backers didn’t know what they were voting for.
Baroness King argued it was "only fair and democratic" a second referendum should be held on the final negotiated deal to leave the European Union.
However, her call sparked warnings against a rerun of the "divisive, destructive and distracting" vote last month.
The peer was also told her comments could be seen as "somewhat patronising" by Lord Robathan during a debate this afternoon.
Putting forward the case for holding a second vote on UK membership of the EU, Lady King said the outcome of the recent referendum would lead to negotiations on Brexit.
She said: "Once they conclude and once the shape and meaning of Brexit becomes clear at that point it is only fair and democratic that the British people accept or reject the final deal.
"They voted by a narrow margin to leave the EU but many British people, possibility the majority, were unaware of the far reaching consequences of the EU referendum.
"After all they were asked do you want to leave the EU, not do you want to break up the UK.
"This likely outcome wasn't articulated by either side during the referendum campaign.
"After the dust has settled in the immediate aftermath of the referendum vote we don't actually know what we voted for."
But Tory peer and Leave campaigner Lord Robathan said: "Does she not think it may be perceived that she is being somewhat patronising to suggest that people did not know what they voted when they voted in the referendum?"
Lady King said: "I think it is absolutely fair to say that most people did not realise that the EU referendum and the Brexit vote would trigger the chain of events that have happened so far."
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Highlighting the difficulties facing the economy and threat to jobs, Lady King said: "People did not realise those consequences.
"I think they didn't know because the architects of that campaign didn't know what the final deal is that they voted on.
"This is the most important peacetime challenge Britain has ever faced and the incredible thing is we don't have a plan."
Conservative peer Earl of Caithness said the referendum had been "divisive, destructive and distracting".
He added: "The only way we can have a second bite at this cherry is to have a political party with its main aim in its manifesto commitment not to break with the EU and test that at a general election."
Liberal Democrat Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted said a rerun of a close referendum was unlikely to be acceptable to the public "without clear evidence for it".
Constitutional expert and Tory peer Lord Norton of Louth said the arguments put forward by Lady King had been for a rerun of the referendum on June 23 and "why the electors had got it wrong".
He added: "That is an extremely dangerous path to pursue.
"It would convey the political class weren't prepared to accept what the electors had decided and I think that would undermine trust in the political process at a time when that trust is already fragile.
"We cannot second guess the electors."
He added: "There may be a case later for putting the negotiation to the people but we do that on the basis of the case for that, not on the basis that they got it wrong on June 23."