Economy
BREXIT has failed and it must now be put back to the people – including to the 700,000 British expats who were denied the vote in 2016, says the CEO of one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations.
Nigel Green, the founder and chief executive of deVere Group, is speaking out after UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal was savaged again in parliament, resoundingly rejecting it for the second time.
Green observes: “Politicians have spectacularly failed to reach a consensus to deliver Brexit. With just 16 days before the UK is due to leave the European Union, we now urgently need to find a way out of this impasse.
“There are three steps that now need to be taken to end the chaos and move forward.
“First, a no deal Brexit must be taken off the table which parliament is likely to do in this evening’s vote, as a messy and disorderly Brexit on 29 March would be political, diplomatic and economic negligence in the extreme.
“Second, the UK must then seek to extend Article 50 – the mechanism by which it leaves the EU. But the UK can’t extend Article 50 alone. It would need to go to Brussels to get the unanimous agreement of all 27 other EU countries.
“It is likely that the EU will only agree to this if political circumstances change – not just to give more time to renegotiate the existing failed deal.
“Which leads us to the third step – a second Brexit referendum. This bold move should not only convince the EU into allowing the UK an extension, it now seems the only sensible way forward as there is no parliamentary majority in Britain for any single option.
“Allowing the public to vote and giving them a final say is quite simply the only credible solution now available.”
He continues: “However, this time, the 700,000 British expats who were outrageously denied the right to vote on an issue that directly affects them must also be allowed to exercise their democratic right.
“Unlike in most other major democracies, British citizens who choose to live, work or retire overseas for more than 15 years lose their voting rights in the UK – despite being liable for UK inheritance tax.”
Green concluded: “From inaccurate and often misleading campaigns to ineffective negotiations, the Brexit omnishambles has gone on long enough.
“Brexit will impact economic, security, diplomatic and foreign policy decisions for the UK for many decades. After MPs have tried but failed, this issue is too important not to now be put back to the people.”
– Mar. 13, 2019 @ 17:39 GMT |
Tags: Only another vote can fix omnishambles Brexit warns deVere boss
