WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones defied the Labour whip to vote against a second referendum on Brexit.

On another bizarre day in Parliament on Thursday, Mrs Jones, a former Labour whip herself when when the party was in Government, was one of 17 Labour MPs, including former Warrington councillor and now Wigan MP Yvonne Fovargue, to vote against calls for a People's Vote.

Twenty four MPs voted for the amendment - despite Labour bosses telling their members to abstain.

Speaking after the vote, Mrs Jones said: "I have been asked by a number of people about this week’s votes on Brexit so I thought that I would set out my position.

"I stood for re-election on a manifesto which promised to respect the result of the referendum. In my view, this does not mean accepting any deal Theresa May brings back. It does mean trying to get a deal which is good for my constituency and the country.

"That is why I voted against the Tory government’s deal this week. No deal would also be disastrous for Warrington’s economy and for the country.

"I also voted to limit any extension of article 50 to June 30. Unfortunately this was defeated. I then voted for the amendment proposed by Hilary Benn which would have given parliament the chance to vote on various options for Brexit. This was lost by two votes.

"It is not good enough for ministers to call for parliament to say what it wants as well as what it doesn’t want and then vote against giving us time to do that. The government, of course, controls the parliamentary timetable.

"I voted against a second referendum for two reasons. The first is that I stood on a pledge to respect the 2016 referendum result. The second is that in a representative democracy, I believe strongly that it is parliament’s job to see that we get a good deal, one that protects people’s jobs and living standards.

"That is what I shall continue to work for. Unfortunately, the campaign for a second referendum has been a diversion which has taken away valuable time from securing a good deal."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's office said it was a matter for the whips to decide what action, if any, they would face.

The amendment, pushed by The Independent Group's Sarah Wollaston, was overwhelmingly defeated by 334 votes to 85 as the bulk of the Labour Party stayed away from the voting lobbies.

Warrington South MP Faisal Rashid did abstain.

Parliament did vote to delay Article 50 - which governs leaving the EU - beyond March 29.

That motion was passed by 402 votes to 202 - with a majority of Conservative MPs voting against the delay, most bizarrely including the Brexit secretary, Steven Barclay.

A new vote on Theresa May's deal to leave the EU will take place in Parliament next week.