MEMBERS of Cheshire East Council have voted against calling on the Government to allow a ‘people’s vote’ on the final Brexit deal.

At Thursday’s full council meeting, Cllr Rod Fletcher, leader of CEC’s Liberal Democrat group, led calls for the council to put pressure on Westminster to give the public another say on whether to leave the European Union.

The member for Alsager told councillors that the promises made in 2016’s referendum had worn thin – while the Government’s negotiotiations to leave the EU were not going according to plan.

Cllr Fletcher said: “People were assured by leave campaigners that negotiating a deal with the EU would be very easy. It has not been the case.

“The leave group misinformed the electorate, cheated, overspent and have been fined a record amount by the Electoral Commission. There was an attempt by Russia to influence the vote, which was regarded by American investigators as serious.

“People did not vote leave intending to make themselves poorer. Tragically the poorest people could be the worst hit with a no-deal Brexit.

“It would be absurd to let the 2016 vote stand as the will of the people for future generations. We need another vote to ensure that any deal is really what the people actually want – and include the option of remaining in the EU.”

Eight members of the public spoke on whether to have another EU vote at the beginning of the meeting – with six in favour of a ‘people’s vote’.

Labour members and independents were divided on the issue, while all but one of the ruling Conservative group felt that calls for a second referendum should be rejected.

Cllr Stewart Gardiner, Conservative, said: “I was a supporter and campaigner for remain. I lost. I accept the will of the people, the people said we should leave.

“One point which annoys me to the bone is when people believe that sneering at people who are slightly less educated than them, about the decisions they took.

“The people made those votes and they knew why they were voting. It may be for a myriad of reasons, but they voted legitimately and their legitimacy should be recognised.

“We lost the vote, we accept the will of the people, and it is now upon the Government to get us out any way possible because that is what the people want.”