The Labour Party's shadow Chancellor of the Echequer John McDonnell speaks to journalists as he arrives at the party's conference in Liverpool, Britain, September 24, 2018. REUTERS/Phil Noble

LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) - Britain’s opposition Labour Party would keep the option for a second vote on any Brexit deal struck with the European Union on the table but it would prefer a national election to sort out the issue, its finance spokesman said on Monday.

“We believe general election is the best solution because people can then have a wide-ranging debate and also then choose the team that would then do the negotiations,” John McDonnell told Sky News.

“If we can’t get a general election, we’ve kept the option of People’s Vote on the table and that’s what we’ll go for, but I’d much prefer a general election,” he said, adding a second vote would be on the deal itself rather than leaving the EU because the party would respect the outcome of the 2016 referendum.