Scots MP expects UK Labour policy change on Brexit

Scottish Labour MP Paul Sweeney has said he believes the UK party will commit to backing another Brexit referendum later in the summer.

On Saturday, Scottish Labour's ruling body committed to campaign for any Brexit deal to be automatically put to the people in a confirmatory vote.

The party will campaign to Remain, with that option on the ballot paper.

However, Jeremy Corbyn has been calling for a general election rather than a second EU referendum.

Speaking to the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland programme, Paul Sweeney said the move in the Scottish party's policy was what he had been campaigning for, and said he expected to see a "significant change" in the UK party's position in the coming months.

'Deliver a compromise'

He hopes change to supporting another EU referendum will happen either when the party's National Executive Committee next meet - towards the end of July - or when the party meets at its UK conference in September.

Mr Sweeney said the party wanted to "deliver a compromise that works for the country".

He added: "It increasingly looks like all roads lead to a confirmatory public vote.

"We've exhausted all possible options to get a compromise. We're evolving to a position now where we say the only way realistically out of this impasse is to have a confirmatory public vote."

He acknowledged the range of opinions existed within the party, but said this was "an opportunity to have a debate in the party". The country is also "very divided" on the best way ahead, he added.