Laurence Dollimore
AN Irish MEP has claimed the UK is ‘not brave enough’ to hold another referendum on membership to the EU.
McGuinness compared Ireland’s two takes at the Lisbon Treaty in 2008 and 2009 with the UK’s single Brexit referendum.
She said: “In Ireland, we are brave enough and courageous enough to have a second referendum.
“When we put the question first and we believe that the debate is not full then we go back to people and say ‘look, here is much clearer information, our circumstances have changed, we’ll put the question again on a number of issues.
“That is brave politics to do that.”
She then blasted the Leave campaigners, accusing them of refusing to even entertain the idea of a second vote on the terms of Brexit.
Ms McGuinness added: “Because the UK has not had that tradition and hasn’t had the debate about Europe in the way we have, I think they are less able to do that.
“So, because of that, it means we have to be prepared for the UK leaving the EU.”
Referendums are a nonsense in a Parliamentary Democracy. The “courage” required of politicians is to treat them as they legally are – ADVISORY. They are not legally binding and if, on consideration of the outcome, the results will be disastrous, then the outcome should be ignored and the people who have been put in charge by voters, ought to have the guts to say NO.
A second referendum is not required, just second thoughts.
There must be a second referendum on the final Brexit deal. It should be a case of accepting the new deal or remaining in the EU.
Leaving the EU is massive and utterly life changing for millions of people so it must be ratified by the electorate now they know what they are up against. This must also include UK nationals living in EU member states who were not eligible to vote last time.
If Brexiteers are so confident they are right, they have nothing to fear by a second referendum.
I think you use of “life changing” is scaremongering. My uncle was picked up by a crane grab and has his leg severed about the knee, I class that as life changing”. Most people in the UK will not even be affected by Brexit, a few prices may go up but there again a few may drop. Exporters are already benefiting by the weaker pound and if it drops a bit more you may see more manufacturing returning to the UK. Hopefully it will also sort out the huge problems that agriculture have where dairy farms make a permanent loss and only survive because of EU grants.
Your comment is naive in the extreme. If you truly believe that Brexit will not change the lives of millions of people then you don’t know what you voted for. Not only will individuals be affected by losing things like freedom of movement but thousands of businesses will too. Do you know how difficult it will be for businesses to suddenly find themselves out of the single market and the customs union in March 2019? Many of them will be forced to relocate to the EU27 – the UK’s loss will be the EU’s gain thankfully.
It is the biggest upheaval in the UK since WW2 with a completely dysfunctional government at the helm. Enjoy.