UK Liberal Democrats could back Labour to force second Brexit vote

LONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The leader of Britain's pro-European Liberal Democrats has suggested she could work with the opposition Labour party to stop Brexit if it removed its leader in the event of a hung parliament after next week’s election.

Jo Swinson repeated her pledge not to put either the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn or Prime Minister Boris Johnson into power if neither wins a majority in parliament.

"I will vote for legislation to pass a people’s vote, of course I will, and I would have done that under the previous Conservative government, just as I would do under any other government," she told the BBC, referring to a second referendum on membership of the European Union (EU) proposed by Labour.

Asked if she would support Labour in an effort to stop Britain leaving the EU if there was a hung parliament, she said she would, provided that Corbyn was no longer its leader.

"I have said that Liberal Democrat votes won't put Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn into Number 10," she said.

"Liberal Democrats will work to stop Brexit, we will support legislation that puts in place a people’s vote and we will work across parties."

She also pledged not to resign if her party loses seats in the election.

The Liberal Democrats, who cast themselves as the only ‘Stop Brexit’ party, trail the Conservatives and Labour in opinion polls and are expected to fall a long way short of winning the election outright. But they could have an important role if neither the Conservatives nor Labour win a majority and have to find a partner in order to form a government.

(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill, Editing by William Maclean)