LONDON: With about 60 days left before Brexit and more than two-and-a- half years after the referendum Britons voted to leave the European Union (EU), many here are still divided about the future of the complex issue.
Anadolu Agency spoke to Britons on the day United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Theresa May was making a statement on her government’s Plan B regarding Brexit.
A woman who was staging a small protest in front of Downing Street, thinks Britons have already had their say and the country should immediately leave the EU.
Wishing to be identified only as Penelope, she said Britons “voted for independence in 2016” but two-and-a-half-years later, the government is trying to get Brexit “in name only.”
Britons still loved Europe but they would not like to be governed by Brussels, she said.
“The deal turned down … was a deal with no end,” Penelope said, referring to May’s heavy defeat last week on the agreement she reached with the EU.
Penelope said the rejected deal would keep the UK in the EU indefinitely but “that’s not what we voted for.”
Another Briton, Thomas, voted to leave.
“Brexit is Brexit,” Thomas told Anadolu Agency as he stood with a Union Jack in front of the entrance of the Palace of Westminster.
“We voted two-and-a-half years ago to leave the EU,” he said, and rejected the idea of a second referendum.
A second referendum would mean Remainers essentially had won and that would be the “end of democracy,” said Thomas.
“We had a vote … simple. We voted to leave,” he said.
Standing by his fruit stall on central Victoria Street, Terrance, said the UK should complete the Brexit process soon.
He imports fruits from Spain but wants to divorce from the 28-nation bloc although he knows tariffs would be imposed.
“We should just get out and get on with it,” he said.
Anadolu Agency found hardened supporters for a second vote on the other side of the issue.
Steve demanded a new referendum on Brexit.
“We really need a people’s vote,” he said.
”Now, people have seen this mess unfolding and the nation is being deceived, we want another say and we want to remain in the EU,” he said. “Brexit needs to be stopped.”
Jane thinks backbenchers in the House of Commons should put in serious amendments “to give us a people’s vote” and remaining in the UK makes social and economic sense.
Simon, who stood outside the British parliament with a huge EU flag, believes it is hard to get a deal reached with the EU to get approval from the parliament.
He worries about the no-deal option.
“If there is a path to a soft Brexit, I might be a little happier,” he said.
He added that a second vote gave voters a second chance to look at what Brexit actually meant. – Bernama
