It seems history is set to repeat itself as the United Kingdom may be set for a second EU Referendum. After a series of votes of no confidence for Theresa May, the Labour Party has decided to file a parliamentary motion which will call for a new referendum to take place on the 12 March. Fuelled by Jeremy Corbyn the referendum comes after the leader of the Labour Party’s original alternative Brexit Plan was rejected in the House of Commons.
“We will back a public vote in order to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit or a disastrous no-deal outcome” Mr Corbyn said.
The UK government has been furiously debating the ramifications of its decision since calling an election to leave the European Union in the summer of 2016. After nearly three years of negotiating Brexit terms it feels as though we are sinking fast into dangerous waters with a divorce on the horizon with no-deal to speak of. The UK needs a solid deal to head into the future separated from the European Union, we need stability for jobs and businesses based abroad and this can not be completed without the intervention of the people.
Corbyn’s decision to host a people’s vote comes as a surprise after he turned his nose up at the idea in November 2018. This is 100% a deliberate shift in the party’s political strategy and may come and a detriment to the position currently held by one, Theresa May. According to Sky News as Mrs May has consistently ruled out the idea of a second referendum, this will strengthen support for the Labour Party as this will we a people’s vote with inside sources saying that the ballot paper will have a ‘Remain’ option. Mrs May has told MPs that she will have a meaningful vote on her deal by the 12 March, the same date that Mr Corbyn wishes to now hold his Second Referendum.
But there are definite calls for Mr Corbyn to halt this bold move with the Conservative Party chairman, Brandon Lewis telling the BBC that “[Corbyn] is happy to ignore the biggest democratic vote in our nation’s history” if he supports this second referendum.
With just under a month to go, only time will tell how this will play out.
Sabrina Skye Fearon-Melville
