South Shields MP calls on politicians to 'respect the outcome' of the Brexit vote as European election results are announced

There were three MEP seats up for grabs in the North East for the European Parliament - with two of these going to The Brexit Party's Brian Monteith and John Tennant.

The final one was held by Labour's Jude Kirton-Darling, while her colleague Paul Brannen lost his seat.

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party topped the polls in the elections - something he said is a "huge, massive" message for both Labour and the Conservatives.

And South Shields MP Mrs Lewell-Buck has now repeated her calls against a second referendum on leaving the EU.

Earlier in the year, the MP defied her party's stance by opposing a further vote on Europe, and stood down as Shadow Minister for Children and Families.

She took to social media on Monday to react to the European election results - adding that she had to "beg" both the electorate and Labour members in her South Shields constituency to "stick with" the party.

Today, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has made fresh calls for Brexit to "go back to the people" either through a general election or public vote.

Related content: Brexit Party hails victory in the North East

Posting on her Twitter account, Mrs Lewell-Buck said: "The spinning of these results this am is predictable but also very damaging, this fingers in ears approach to push preferred narratives is what got us into this mess in the first place, it only serves to enhance the disconnect between politicians and voters.

"Adding up the votes of other parties and discounting Labour ones then claiming this means we need a 2nd ref ignores the fact that Labour voters are both leavers and remainers.

"The only clear and unambiguous fact is that the Brexit Party won the largest share of the vote.

I’ve spoken to more people in Shields than anyone else about Brexit & I had to beg members/voters here to vote for us, my anti 2nd ref stance is what persuaded many of them to stick with us.

"At the 2017 GE we were clear we promised to respect the ref outcome."