EU proposes second UK Brexit referendum to 'confirm final decision' after talks


The proposition was made by the European Parliament in a report on the assessment of Article 50, the mechanism that allows member states to depart from the bloc. In the report, commissioned by the EU Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs, MEPs claimed Britons lacked all the necessary information ahead of the 2016 Brexit referendum.

They suggested another referendum could be a “demographic safeguard” to confirm final decisions.

They wrote: [The Committee] believes that, given the nature of the decision to leave the Union and its fundamental impacts on citizens of the departing Member State, the holding of a referendum to confirm the final decision to leave can be an important democratic safeguard;

“It considers that the confirmation of this final choice by its citizens is also crucial in case negotiations of a withdrawal agreement fail to conclude, provoking a no-deal scenario;

“It considers that all possible steps should be taken during this process to avoid disinformation, foreign interference and funding irregularities.”

The report came as London and Brussels are still locking horns over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

He said: “Northern Ireland now has the unique ability to export seamlessly into both the British market and the EU single market – making us the envy of exporters in Scotland, England and Wales having to deal with new barriers to trade.”

Mr O’Toole said that data “proves the DUP’s scaremongering and brinkmanship does not reflect the interests of our economy or the vast majority of people here”.

Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond said the CSO figures were “very welcome news”.

He added: “Positive Brexit dividends have been few and far between and it is vital that we capitalise on them where possible.

“The Protocol is not only protecting Northern Ireland from the worst of Brexit, economically, but it also offers far greater potential than many would have expected.”



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