Petition to Stop Second Brexit Vote Hits 100,000 Signatures in Weeks

GettyImages-542917042
JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty

More than 100,000 people have signed an online Government petition to demand the Brexit referendum is not rerun and “ensure democracy rules.”

Breaching the 100,000 threshold does not automatically mean a debate will take place in Parliament, but it does mean the Government will respond in nine days and consider triggering a debate.

The petition was set up towards the end of October when hundreds of thousands joined a “People’s Vote march” in London calling for the 2016 referendum to be rerun and even overturned.

The petition, which at the time of writing has been signed by more than 101,500 people, states:

“Although not legally binding the referendum on whether we stay or leave the EU carried out on the 23rd June 2016 was the clearest indicator of the will of the electorate.

“At that time our Prime Minister David Cameron assured us that the result of the referendum would be carried out. We must ensure democracy rules.”

Speaking in Norway Tuesday, Prime Minister Theresa May insisted she would not trigger a second referendum saying: “There will be no second referendum on Brexit.”

She also ruled out another general election following speculation on the issue. “No. We are not preparing for another general election. That would not be in the national interest,” the Prime Minister added.

Mrs May, however, repeatedly promised not to call a general election in 2017 before doing so.

After the People’s Vote march last month, leading pollsters confirmed there is “no consistent evidence” that support is growing for such a vote.

Leading Brexiteer Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg slammed the idea, arguing the public has already been asked three times.

He said: “I think a lot of people who voted Remain and don’t like the result want us to keep us voting until we give them the result they want. Democracy doesn’t work like that. You have to implement this decision and it had three votes behind it.”

He continued: “It had the general election in 2015 when the Conservatives promised a referendum.

“It had the referendum itself and the last general election, and both the Labour Party and the Conservative Party said they would deliver on the referendum results.

“So it already had popular support three times.”

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.