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UK's Labour wants election if PM May can't get backing for Brexit deal

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement on Brexit negotiations with the European Union at Number 10 Downing Street, London September 21, 2018 . Jack Taylor/Pool via Reuters

LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) - Britain's opposition Labour Party wants a national election if Prime Minister Theresa May cannot win the support of parliament for her Brexit deal, its business spokeswoman said on Sunday. Labour's leadership has not supported the idea of holding a second referendum on the final deal, but Rebecca Long-Bailey said it would respect any decision by party members at Labour's annual conference this week to back the idea. "Our position is that we want to have a general election if Theresa May can’t get the support of parliament or even her own party to push through whichever deal," she told Sky News. "Although it is not our position policy-wise, if members decide at this conference that they wanted to have a people’s vote or a second referendum of course we would respect the membership." (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper, Writing by Kylie MacLellan)