Germany Would Demand Second Referendum in Return for Another Brexit Delay

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 29: Anti Brexit demonstrators continue their protest outsid
Dan Kitwood/Getty
Victoria Friedman

Germany has said that it will veto another Brexit delay unless the UK holds a general election or second referendum.

Norbert Röttgen, a former German minister and senior MP in the Bundestag, told The Telegraph that should the UK ask for another extension to Article 50 in October, when the UK is due to leave the EU, the decision of the European Council would depend “on the reason why Britain asked for it”.

“If for example it is asked because Britain has decided to go for another referendum or snap election and they are going to happen then in respect of democratic reasons it would be accepted,” Mr Röttgen said.

“If there were no reason for another extension then I would say even the German position, that we give time, has come to a close because a reason for extension has to be required,” he added.

The German MP is not the only European politician to have raised the possibility of holding another referendum — in true EU style — until citizens give the ‘right’ answer.

Late last year, a number of EU leaders called for the UK to hold a second referendum, in hopes that the British people would “change their view”, including the socialist prime minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez would said that the country should hold another vote “in the future, so that it can come back to the EU. In another way, but back into the EU.”

Mark Harper has become the twelfth Tory MP to join the party leadership race after Theresa May announced she would be stepping down next month. Mr Harper, who campaigned to remain in the EU in 2016, has come out against his fellow Brexiteer running mates who have pledged to take the UK out of the EU with or without a deal on October 31st, and has not ruled out requesting a further extension of Article 50, possibly until 2020.

The UK was supposed to leave the EU on March 29th 2019 but the exit date has been twice delayed until Halloween after outgoing Prime Minister May failed to pass her unpopular withdrawal treaty.

Leaders of the European Union remain split on whether to continue granting extensions to prevent the UK leading the bloc in a clean break, which Mr Röttgen admitted would inflict “damage” on the EU; however, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has warned against further delays.

Speaking on his LBC radio show on Thursday evening, Mr Farage called for parliament to be dissolved and a General Election held by the end of the year if the Tory-led government fails to deliver Brexit by October 31st.

“I have to say I am opposed to a second referendum being fought, the Brexit Party leader said.

“But I’m going to say this, and I haven’t before. If we have not left on the 31st of October which is the new date that we’re supposed to leave the European Union, if we are failed once again by government and parliament, then I think there should be a general election later this year,” Mr Farage added.

COMMENTS

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