Seven up: Contest to replace May as British PM gets crowded

'DISHONEST'

"I think it would be a huge mistake, damaging, unnecessary and I think also dishonest," Stewart said.

With no majority in parliament, the Conservatives only govern with the support of the small Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party, a factor that has constantly weakened May's hand.

The opposition Labour Party, which called for an immediate election after May's announcement, said it would seek a vote of no confidence in the government if it looked like it might pass, while it has also not ruled out backing a second referendum.

"Faced with (a no deal) situation, I think there may well be a majority in the House of Commons willing to bring about some form of public vote and that could include a general election," Labour finance spokesman John McDonnell told BBC radio.

Both the Conservatives and Labour are expected to fare badly in the European Parliament elections when the results are published on Sunday, while both the Brexit Party of Nigel Farage and the pro-EU Liberal Democrats were seen doing well.

Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said the party's equivocal stance on the issue was to blame and it now needed to urgently back a second vote.

"For our party's sake, but most of all for Britain’s sake, Labour needs to find some backbone on Brexit, find our voice - and do it fast," he wrote on his website.

Reuters