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Brexit vote may be reversed, says British campaigner Farage

January 14, 2018
Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon said on Sunday there was a
Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon said on Sunday there was a "golden opportunity" to argue for Britain to remain in the European single market after Brexit. — AFP

LONDON — Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage said on Sunday he was increasingly concerned that a vote for Britain to leave the European Union could be overturned by a powerful group of the bloc's supporters.

In an interview with Britain's Observer newspaper, Farage, former head of the euroskeptic UK Independence Party, said a well-organized and funded group of campaigners that wants to remain in the EU was drowning out those who want to leave.

"The Remain side are making all the running," said Farage. "They have a majority in parliament, and unless we get ourselves organized we could lose the historic victory that was Brexit."

Last week, Farage said he was warming to the idea of holding a second vote on Britain's membership of the EU to settle the argument — an idea written off by other Brexit campaigners who urged the government to press on with exit talks with the bloc.

In 2016, Britons voted 52 to 48 percent in favor of ending its membership of the EU. Prime Minister Theresa May has ruled out a second referendum, saying her government was seeking an amicable divorce with the EU, which will safeguard the economy and enable Britain to secure trade deals with other countries.

But some Brexit campaigners fear her approach has led to the watering down of several of their demands, including the ability to reduce immigration and to reclaim sovereignty by leaving the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.

Several pro-EU campaigners say the need for a second referendum has become more pressing because public opinion is showing some signs of turning against Brexit as the difficulty of negotiations to leave the bloc becomes increasingly clear.

On Thursday, a ComRes poll for the Daily Mirror newspaper of 1,049 adults showed that although more people think there should not be a second referendum (51 to 43 percent), if there were to be a re-run, voters say they would opt to stay in the EU by 55 to 45 percent.

Sturgeon sees "golden" chance

to argue for UK to remain

Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon said in Edinburgh on Sunday there was a "golden opportunity" to argue for Britain to remain in the European single market after Brexit, as no-one had yet demonstrated the benefit of loosening trade ties with the EU.

Sturgeon, whose nationalist SNP runs the devolved Scottish government, said there was no alternative to EU membership that could deliver the same economic benefits. She said Prime Minister May must defend whatever trade option the UK government chose to pursue with hard evidence, damaging the economy as little as possible.

"There is zero credible evidence to suggest leaving the Single Market will bring any benefit to our economy. Indeed, as our analysis will show — the harder the Brexit, the worse will be the outcome," Sturgeon said ahead of the publication of a study of the economic impact of Brexit on Scotland, commissioned by her government.

May is preparing for the start of talks about Britain's trade relationship with the EU once it is no longer a member.

Agreeing a united stance has been made harder by infighting in May's Cabinet and Conservative Party over their vision for the new relationship with the EU, while the biggest opposition party, Labour, is also split on the best way forward.

"It will be a fundamental dereliction of duty as prime minister if Theresa May continues to pursue her 'red lines' without providing information on their impact, and publicly discussing the options available," Sturgeon said.

Sturgeon's party says continued single market membership would be the option that best reflects the fact that a majority of Scots vote in the 2016 referendum to stay in the EU.

That result put Scotland, together with Northern Ireland, at odds with Wales and England, which voted to leave, and the relationship between Britain's four nations has been under increased strain since.

May has indicated that ending freedom of movement of workers between Britain and the EU is a priority when Britain leaves. Scotland, however, has argued for continued freedom of movement to boost its ageing population and support its food and drink industry and rural life.

"(Those defending Brexit) have completely failed to explain how their approach could even remotely come close to replacing the enormous lost trade and investment," Sturgeon said. — Reuters


January 14, 2018
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