UK campaigners believe in 'People's Vote'

LONDON

There is a constitutional crisis in the U.K caused by the head of the Conservative government, according to a Labour MP who was formerly the foreign secretary.

Dame Margaret Beckett evaluated for Anadolu Agency the current situation in British politics and the Brexit impasse in the House of Commons.

Constitutional crisis

“One thing people should be clear about is that the constitutional crisis has not been caused by the [Parliament] speaker. It has been caused by the prime minister who has used every power at her disposal to try to prevent parliament from considering anything other than her deal and making a decision on anything other than her deal,” Beckett said.

“[Theresa May] has been misusing her powers in parliament for some time and she is trying to do it one more time. And the speaker has pointed out that our procedures do not allow her to do that. There is no prime minister in British history who would have ignored a defeat of some substance on a major issue like this, never mind the biggest defeat ever in parliamentary history. She just thinks she makes up her own rules and the speaker told her ‘No, you don’t.’”

Earlier this week, Speaker John Bercow ruled out May’s bringing back her twice-rejected deal to parliament, saying it would be against parliamentary procedures.

People’s Vote

Beckett, who is campaigning for a “People’s Vote” on Brexit, said parliament will have the necessary majority to bring a vote to British voters.

“It is perfectly true that because of the arithmetic of our parliament, there will be a need for some Conservatives support for having this second vote. Nobody can be certain because we are living in extremely uncertain times. Yes, there is a very good chance that there will be sufficient support to go back to the people for confirmation,” she said.

Beckett said it would be “incredibly divisive” and “utterly undemocratic” for parliament forces who want to remain or those who changed their mind to remain in the EU.

Mess

Alastair Campbell, former communications director at Downing Street and “People’s Vote” campaigner agreed there is a constitutional crisis but it has not been created by the Parliament speaker.

“It is a total mess. Britain is in a mess,” Campbell told Anadolu Agency.

“The reason why I am campaigning for a ‘People’s Vote’ … on the outcome of the negotiations, it is to say to the British people, ‘This is now such a mess, it is so different to what you were promised … do you still want to go ahead?’”

“I think the country is moving to say: No, we don’t.”

Campbell said the EU might go along with May’s request for an extension of the Brexit deadline until June 30, adding that he does not believe Brexit issues can be resolved in three months time.

He said a longer extension will be needed.

"There is definitely a sense that our politics are failing. If you look at both the main parties [they] are really struggling to command proper political public support," he said.

He added what will happen with British politics in near future depends on what will happen with Brexit.

Campbell said if people have a vote and say they would want to remain in the EU “that would be a good thing for democracy.”

March for People’s Vote

With only eight days remaining for the Brexit deadline March 29, and an extension is still not a done deal until it is approved by the EU, millions are making plans for a “People’s Vote” march Saturday in London.

Amanda Chetwynd-Cowieson, co-founder of For Our Future’s Sake (FFS) is one of the representatives of the younger generation, who, according to a YouGov poll, would vote to remain by a 2-to-1 margin should a vote be held.

She told Anadolu Agency her group will be on the frontline of the march demanding the right to vote on country’s future.

Chetwynd-Cowieson said attendance at the march will be huge as people are traveling from north and south and other corners of the U.K. to London.

More than a million pro-EU protesters are expected to fill central London.