If Parliament Delays Brexit Date, UK Will Have to Hold Euro Elections in May

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Oliver JJ Lane

If British Members of Parliament (MPs) succeed in delaying Brexit at an amendment vote due to take place Tuesday evening, the country may be forced to hold EU elections to select Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) this year.

Citizens across the European Union will have the chance to vote for their representatives to the largely symbolic European parliament in May, but against expectations, their representatives may be again joined by British MEPs is anti-Brexit rebels are able to delay Brexit, as part of annulling the withdrawal process.

In one of the most blatant examples of the success of establishment anti-Brexit forces are having in delaying Britain’s departure from the European Union, Brussels is now preparing to see British MEPs back in their seats after the latest elections on May 23rd, reports The Times. That the EU is now preparing for this eventuality comes just months after it was revealed the British government had already put aside hundreds of thousands of pounds to pay for the 2019 elections that legally weren’t even meant to happen.

The politicians were supposed to be out of a job before the end of the present term, because the United Kingdom is supposed to be leaving the European Union on March 29th, however, MPs are working to push that date back. Several key Brexiteers, including most recently Boris Johnson have pointed out that attempts to delay are no more than a “thin disguise for killing [Brexit] off”.

If Yvette Cooper’s amendment to the Brexit bill passes Tuesday night, it would see Brexit day delayed by three or nine months into the future — however, with that precedent set, it remains possible from that point Britain leaving the EU could then be perpetually set back to suit the desires of pro-remain politicians. If that is the case, unnamed EU officials quoted by the London newspaper state “Britain will have to hold European elections”, apparently whether it wants to or not.

Despite Remainer attempts to hold the UK inside the EU, forcing Britain into holding more Euro elections could have unintended consequences. The UK Independence party, then under the control of Brexit leader Nigel Farage was the largest party in Britain in the last 2014 vote, and frustrated Brits could turn out to vote the party in again.

This would conform to a wider trend across Europe of populist, often anti-European Union parties expecting good results from the May 2019 vote, which could significantly alter the European Parliament’s dynamic.

Breitbart London reported on a snapshot poll in July 2018 that suggested those anti-establishment, Eurosceptic parties are indeed looking to enjoy a significant boost in support. Even if Britain’s MEPs did leave and not return, the parliament’s main populist bloc is still expected to experience growth.

Oliver JJ Lane is the editor of Breitbart London — Follow him on Twitter and Facebook

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