SWINDON politicians have blasted suggestions by a former minister that the Brexit vote should be re-run.

Justine Greening, who was education secretary until January, called for a new referendum on exiting the EU. She cited “deadlocked politicians”, saying the latest deal “suits no one”.

The Putney MP, who backed the Remain side in 2016, wrote in The Times yesterday: “We’ll be dragging Remain voters out of the EU for a deal that means still complying with many EU rules, but now with no say on shaping them.

“It’s not what they want, and on top of that when they hear that Leave voters are unhappy, they ask, ‘What’s the point?’”

Swindon MPs Robert Buckland and Justin Tomlinson dismissed Ms Greening’s comments as “out of step”.

Ministers set out their Brexit deal proposals in a government white paper on Thursday. It proposes keeping a free trade area for goods, which many have compared to the current EU single market. Free movement of people between the EU and UK would come to an end.

Critics, including Ms Greening, have criticised the proposals as either too complicated, too hard-line or too soft when compared to some of the promises of the Leave side in 2016.

James Gray, MP for North Wiltshire, wrote to constituents at the weekend: “The Chequers agreement is a great deal less than I had hoped for. What we are now proposing for The Deal is by no means as clear and robust as the 52 per cent who voted Leave expected.

“I have warned the whips that they cannot rely on my support for it when it comes before the House for ratification in the autumn.”

Ms Greening told the BBC: “The reality is Parliament is now stalemated. Whatever the proposal on the table, there will be MPs who vote it down. But Britain needs to find a route forward.”

But Swindon MPs have dismissed Ms Greening’s intervention.

Justin Tomlinson, North Swindon MP, who was appointed a work and pensions minister last week, said: “Justine is very much out of step. The public have already spoken and they rightly expect us to deliver.

“This is why we are absolutely committed to delivering on the referendum result by getting control of our money, borders and laws – and protecting jobs and prosperity.”

South Swindon MP Robert Buckland, who backed the Remain cause in 2016, said: “Her proposal sounds overly complicated and is a recipe for more uncertainty, which is what we don’t need. We have had a referendum, which delivered a decisive result.”