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Emily Thornberry has said she is “excited” to have been given the job of scrutinising the government’s handling of Britain’s exit from the European Union.

The MP for Islington South and Finsbury, who backed Remain, was appointed to shadow Tory David Davis in the newly-created Cabinet role of Brexit minister last week. She will carry out these duties alongside her current role of shadow foreign secretary – her third job in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet in just 10 months.

Ms Thornberry said of her role as Labour spokeswoman on foreign affairs: “It is a lot of work and I would like my team to be larger than it is but we carry on and I’m up for it, and I believe I am more than capable of covering it. I’m happy and excited. It’s an honour to be doing this,” she said.

“The country is in an economic and constitutional crisis. Labour has to rise to the challenge and Jeremy [Corbyn] asked me to do this and I said I would.”

Ms Thornberry appeared to dismiss calls for a second EU referendum but said there should be “some democratic input” before Britain leaves the EU.

“My starting point is that the referendum was about whether to stay in Europe and the public has voted to leave,” she added. “We have to abide by that decision.

“The Tories do not have a mandate to agree terms of the exit out of Europe and they should be listening to the Opposition. Before we get to the point of no return there needs to be some democratic input about the continuing relationship with Europe, and that can take different forms. The public needs to be consulted and how will be made clear over time.”