HOVE MP Peter Kyle yesterday joined Green MP for Brighton Pavilion Caroline Lucas in arguing for a second referendum on the terms of our departure from the European Union.

He also called on party leader Jeremy Corbyn to step down after he lost a no-confidence vote by 172 votes to 40 on Tuesday.

And Lord Bassam of Brighton confirmed reports that he is no longer attending shadow cabinet meetings despite being the party’s chief whip in the Lords - a post to which he was elected, not appointed by the leader.

Mr Kyle told The Argus that the public’s referendum vote to leave the EU should be respected but that “many people were sold a lie.”

He said: “My interpretation of what the country said is that if the Leave campaign can deliver on their promises then we should leave.

“We have to take people on a journey. The first step is to hold the leave campaign to account. To prove there is a gulf between what is deliverable and what was promised and then gauge the mood of the country.

“If the mood is opposed I’ll be working my fingers to the bone to deliver a second referendum.”

He said he anticipates a general election this autumn following the election of a new Tory leader, at which Jeremy Corbyn should not be the Labour leader.

He said: “This is not about ideology, it’s about competence. Having worked with Jeremy and seen how he responded to the leadership challenges of the referendum I simply don’t think he has the leadership qualities needed for the extraordinarily difficult challenges the party and the country faces right now and into the future.

“He has lost the confidence of MPs and should stand down and not run.”

Mr Kyle said that Mr Corbyn’s large mandate from the party membership did not amount to authorisation to lead the party to electoral defeat.