Remainer Speaker Believes Second Referendum ‘Is Possible’

Brexit
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Victoria Friedman

Remain-backing speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow has said that a second referendum “is possible” and that there is no reason constitutional why another vote could not reverse the decision made by the British people in 2016.

In an interview with France24, Speaker Bercow responded to the suggestion that there could be a second referendum by saying: “Yes. I think there is a possibility.”

While saying that he did not “recommend” it happening, he continued: “I think if Parliament won’t approve an agreement and if Parliament doesn’t want the UK to leave without an agreement, there would in those circumstances… there are only two other possibilities, one is that there is a General Election.

“The other possibility is that there could be another referendum in which people are confronted with the option of leaving with a deal — a specific deal — or leaving with no deal and the alternative of continuing with the deal we have now, which means remaining in the EU. Is that possible? Is a second referendum possible? Yes it’s possible.”

On whether it was a legitimate act to undo the result of the biggest democratic mandate in British history before it had even been delivered, Mr Bercow said: “It’s true there was a referendum that decided we should leave but that was in the last Parliament. I’m not arguing it should be reversed, but constitutionally is there a legal reason or constitutional reason why it shouldn’t be reversed by another referendum? No. That could happen.”

Bercow’s adherence to the rules of Parliament appears selective and was put into question in January, when Brexiteer MPs condemned the speaker for allowing a vote on an amendment to derail a clean, no-deal break from the EU which some construed as a breach of parliamentary precedent. Commons clerks, who advise on parliamentary procedure, had reportedly told the speaker that amendments to the business motion should not be allowed.

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has criticised the anti-Trump speaker for his lack of political impartiality, saying in May, after the speaker announced he would stay on in post to help stop a no-deal Brexit: “What Bercow is really saying is this… if a Conservative prime minister tried to take us out with no deal, WTO terms, on the 31st of October he is going to make sure that the House of Commons get a chance to vote it down, even though it is already the law of the land.”

“I think this man is acting way above his station. He shows no hint of neutrality,” Mr Farage added.

 

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