Tom Watson claims SHAKESPEARE would have voted Remain

Labour’s most senior figures were openly at war over Brexit today after Tom Watson mounted a fresh push for a second referendum.

The deputy Labour leader ramped up pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to change the party’s policy, insisting the EU was in the ‘heart’ of activists.

But in a sign of the raging tensions, party chairman Ian Lavery tweeted as Mr Watson delivered his speech: ‘Brexit has turned this country into a toxic nation. However ignoring the 17.4m leave voters isn’t politically smart nor indeed particularly democratic. Is it? #simplysaying’. 

In a keynote speech at the Centre for European Reform, Mr Watson complained that the EU was wrongly being portrayed as a ‘threat to our way of life’.

He insisted the French did not see themselves as less French because they were inside the bloc. 

Mr Watson pointed out that Shakespeare had based many of his plays on the continent. ‘Being European was central to his sense of who he was,’ he added. 

Mr Watson argued that the only way to break the Brexit deadlock at Westminster was to put the issue back to the people in a public vote, in which Labour would campaign ‘proudly’ for Remain.

Jeremy Corbyn has resisted pressure fully to embrace a second referendum amid criticism of the party’s dismal showing in last month’s European elections.

Confusion over its position, which is supporting another referendum in certain limited circumstances, was blamed for its coming third place behind the Brexit Party and the Liberal Democrats. 

Mr Corbyn has come under increasing pressure even from his own allies, with both John McDonnell and Diane Abbott asking him to back a second vote. 

But other Left-wing allies such as union boss Len McCluskey accuse Mr Watson of trying to topple him from the leadership using Brexit as a ruse.

In his speech, Mr Watson said there is still time to reverse the Brexit vote, but only if Labour fully backs a second referendum. 

He said: ‘Pro-European is who we are and who we have always been. Our members are Remain. Our values are Remain. Our hearts are Remain.

‘The only way to break the political deadlock is to bring the public back into this decision and we must argue strongly to remain. Our future doesn’t need to be Brexit. We can change our future. We can put Britain back at the heart of Europe.

He added: ‘We can be proud of leading the fight for a fairer and stronger future together. But we can only achieve this future if Labour fights for it and champions it. It’s time we do that.’ Mr Watson is likely to face a strong push-back from allies of Mr Corbyn.

Corbyn has come under increasing pressure even from his own allies, with both John McDonnell and Diane Abbott asking him to back a second vote

Last week Mr Lavery hit out at Remainers within the party, dismissing them as ‘Left-wing intellectuals’ who were ‘sneering at ordinary people’ in traditional Labour heartlands who voted for Leave.

However Mr Watson said that all strands of opinion within the party were entitled to a hearing. ‘We cannot go on dismissing one another’s right to speak and questioning one another’s motives and intentions,’ he will say.

‘Some people have begun to equate support for Europe with class identity. I don’t think that’s right or helpful.’

He said the ‘core’ EU values of internationalism, solidarity and freedom were also the values of Labour.

‘I’m a European democratic socialist. I don’t love Europe despite being socialist, I love Europe because I am a socialist. Democratic socialism is achieving common causes by the strength of collective endeavour. That’s what Europe is,’ he added.