Labour government should extend Article 50 to put brakes on Brexit, says Emily Thornberry

Labour should seek to extend the Article 50 period to delay Brexit, Emily Thornberry said, as “we cannot leave in the current circumstances”.

Laying out the party’s election strategy, the shadow foreign secretary said if Labour wins a general election the negotiation period should be extended.

Speaking at a fringe event during the party conference in Liverpool she said: "We should have a general election and our manifesto should say we will abide by the result of the referendum but we can't obviously leave in the current circumstances."

She stressed Labour needs to extend Article 50, and said the party would restart negotiations by going to Europe and saying “the grown-ups have turned up now”.

The Labour frontbencher added: "We need to extend Article 50 and essentially turn up in Europe and say 'the grown-ups have turned up now'."

Ms Thornberry’s comments came just hours before the shadow Foreign Secretary delivered her keynote speech to the annual conference, which tore into anti-Semitism in the party.

She said fascism must be rooted out from Labour, admitting that there are "sickening individuals" exploiting legitimate support for Palestine.

“Labour has always lead the fight against fascism — and we will continue to lead this fight,” she said.

Ms Thornberry also condemned the Israeli government's "racist policies and criminal actions".

Earlier on Tuesday Sir Keir Starmer set out the party's plan for Brexit.

And he was given a standing ovation as he confirmed that the possibility of ditching Brexit could be in any future referendum called on the outcome of the process.