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Labour have drawn up urgent plans to take power and deliver a Queen’s Speech if Theresa May is destroyed by Brexit .

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell outlined how the party is now preparing to govern if it wins a snap General Election.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mirror ahead of the Labour party conference, he said: “We want to hit the deck running”.

And Mr McDonnell confirmed that a major nationalisation programme of key industries is among the party’s top priorities.

He also revealed for the first time his plans to set up a Public Ownership Unit in the Treasury when Labour gets into power.

The unit will be led by Labour politicians and staffed by civil servants from across Whitehall.

It will be charged with implementing the nationalisation of Britain’s railways, water, energy and mail.

Mr McDonnell plans to announce details in a Queen’s Speech within days of taking power and launch the unit “immediately”.

He said: “We’re going to bring back into public ownership rail, water, energy and mail. We will get this legislation through in the first Queen’s Speech - we want to hit the deck running.

“We will have a unit in the Treasury itself which will organise it and brings this all together with all the relevant expertise. It will be a key unit of government to make sure that happens.

“We’re now doing this 'preparation for government' exercise at the moment.

"Every shadow cabinet team has been asked to look at the last manifesto, and see how we can develop it.

“We’re preparing manuals for implementation and then draft legislation so it’s all on the shelf ready to go.”

He added: “We’re now going to have a discussion about the first Queen’s Speech.”

Mr McDonnell also disclosed how Mrs May has blocked Labour from speaking to civil servants to prepare for power.

He told the Daily Mirror: “Jeremy has been asking Theresa May for access to the civil service now.

“Normally, before a General Election, what happens is you’ll have meetings with the civil service.

“They’ll go though your manifesto, they’ll prepare for if you win the General Election, and have that ready.

“Last year when we had the snap general election, we had a few meetings with the civil service but because it was a snap election, not many.

“But this time, we’re asking because an election could come at any time - we want access to the civil service.

“We haven’t had a positive response so far but we’ll keep the pressure on.

“What we’ll be able to do then is literally hand over to the civil servants our plans in advance of the election.”