Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators gathered in London last month to demand a second Brexit referendum

John McDonnell held secret talks with the People’s Vote campaign last week amid growing signs that Labour might support a second Brexit referendum.

The shadow chancellor hosted Tom Baldwin and Alastair Campbell, the former spin doctors to Ed Miliband and Tony Blair respectively who are now campaigning for a new vote, in his Commons office on Thursday.

It is understood McDonnell saw polling figures that showed Labour voters overwhelmingly supported a second vote, something that grassroots activists and Labour MPs are pressing the leadership to agree.

The Sunday Times has also learnt that Laura Parker, national director of Momentum, the campaign group that acts as a version of the praetorian guard to Jeremy Corbyn, also attended a rally this month in support of a new