A CUMBRIAN House of Lords peer has joined a cross-party call for a second Brexit referendum to heal the country’s political divisions.

Roger Liddle, county councillor for Wigton and a member of the House of Lords, said another public vote on Brexit was the only way to break through the Brexit deadlock paralysing Parliament.

With the prospects of a long delay to Brexit now raised following yesterday’s EU summit, Lord Liddle said a second public vote could be the necessary escape to Brexit limbo.

“I can’t see these cross-party talks getting anywhere,” he said.

“The only way out of the deadlock in Parliament is for a majority to come round to the view that we have to have another vote.

“I accept that another referendum will be very divisive. But I don’t see an alternative, and I think it may provide the necessary opportunity for us to have that much-needed public debate on how to move forward.

“I’d be happy to go around debating people who voted leave in every village and town in Cumbria.

“I hope there will be a bit of a cooling-off period should the EU be happy to give us a long extension, where we have time to come together and find common ground.”

A Labour Party peer and long-term EU supporter, Lord Liddle has been joined in his call by Conservative Party House of Lords peer Baroness Ros Altmann.

“Democracy has to be able to adapt if circumstances change,” she said.

Baroness Altmann is a co-founder of the campaign group Right to Vote, which calls for a second referendum.

London resident Baroness Altmann spoke to the News & Star about a second referendum after the release of new research from Right to Vote indicated a slim majority in Carlisle supported another public vote.

Released last week, their survey of residents in the city indicated 56 per cent wanted a final say on Brexit.

Baroness Altmann said a second referendum was the best hope of averting an EU exit without a deal, which she warned would be disastrous for Carlisle and the rest of the county.

“I think the people of Carlisle and Cumbria have now realised that leaving the EU could do significant damage.

“The consequences of no deal could be catastrophic for Cumbria. It is so reliant on two of the parts of our economy that would be worst affected by not having a deal - manufacturing and agriculture.

“Surely we have a duty to ask the British people now they have better, more complete information, whether that is still want they want to do.”