If you were given one more chance to vote on Brexit, which way would you go? Which way would the country go? Could we finally put an end to the squabbling and re-focus politics on the more pressing things in life than how much money the UK decides to fritter away?
All of these questions deserve a think because, well, a People’s Vote may be coming. To update you, Theresa May survived a vote of no confidence last week, after pulling MPs’ meaningful vote on the Brexit deal she’s secured. In the time since, it’s still pretty certain that the EU won’t budge on the terms of the deal (the president of the EU, Jean-Claude Juncker, has called May ‘nebulous’, which she took him to task on) and that MPs won’t vote for it in Parliament.
When, rather than if, Theresa May’s deal, which has been slated by all sorts of politicians for all sorts of reasons, is voted down, the alternatives are being presented as a ‘managed no deal’, or, perhaps, a People’s Vote.
Theresa May has said: ’Let us not break faith with the British people by trying to stage another referendum.’
However, 60% of those betting on the potential of a second referendum have said yes, it will happen, and as we’ve grown to learn from Theresa May famously calling a General Election after saying, for months, that she wouldn’t, just because she says something won’t happen, doesn’t mean it won’t.
If we could all get another go to cast our votes, in the knowledge of what Brexit actually looks like, how would it work? Grazia spoke to Caroline Criado-Perez, a campaigner with Women for a People’s Vote to find it all out:
What’s wrong with Brexit?
It’s an appalling distraction from all the domestic issues that need sorting out. We’ve spent two years talking about Brexit and in the meantime we haven’t spoken about the massive crisis of rising homelessness or funding for domestic violence refuges. Parliament is too busy not handling Brexit to get important work done, and with any form of Brexit those things will get worse because we’ll have less money, fewer skilled workers and a decade of negotiations. We’ll still have problem of government not being able to focus on the issues affecting ordinary people and the best way to stop that happening is to get MPs to stop focusing on Brexit.
Didn’t we have a People’s Vote in 2016?
The first referendum, not only was the country split down the middle, but we didn’t know what Leave would look like. A lot of things that were promised now can’t be done. We need to find out if people do want the deal we have or not. If that’s what they want, that’s what they can get, but that’s not what was on the ballot paper in 2016. I don’t always agree with the electorate but I know that democracy is the best way forward.
What about those who say a second referendum will cause riots from angry Leavers?
Since when do we allow our politics to be dictated by fear of what the hard right might do? I believe in fighting for what is right. And I believe that a People’s Vote is the only right, fair and democratic choice for Britain right now. In any case, if social unrest is what we’re worried about, that’s hardly going to be helped by 10 more years of negotiations or the country getting poorer.
What would need to happen for a People’s Vote to be triggered?
There are six different ways it could be triggered, but the easiest most likely way is for Theresa May to see this is the only option she has left. Her advisers really want her to call a second referendum and though she says she doesn’t, the reality is this is the only way out of a deadlock if Parliament can’t get it together.
When could a People’s Vote happen?
We could do it very quickly. May can extend Article 50 [the law allowing the UK to withdraw from the EU], and the EU would grant it to us, and hold the referendum ASAP. We need a mandate from the people of how to move forward.
What would the ballot paper say?
If the government think Brexit is a good idea, it’s for them to decide how they put it forward, all we say at The People’s Vote is that Remain is an option on the ballot.
How could a Grazia reader get involved?
First, tell your MP you’re fed up watching MPs for two years mess around and not get anywhere. You can email or write, but personalise it, don’t just copy and paste. Talk to friends and family and get them to do the same. People need to be speaking about this to everyone. March is just round the corner now, we cannot take any more time wasting, just get on with it give us the people’s vote so we can get you out of this.
NotBuyingIt.co.uk gives you a template to send to your MP that can be easily personalised. There is also a campaign called #MyVoiceMyReason where women can contribute to social media their reasons for wanting a People’s Vote