London mayor calls for new poll
London mayor Sadiq Khan has called for another referendum on Britain’s EU membership, saying the prime minister’s handling of Brexit negotiations has become mired in confusion and deadlock and is leading the country down a damaging path.
Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29.
But with Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit plans still not accepted, some legislators and union and business leaders are increasingly arguing for people to have a final say.
May has repeatedly ruled out holding a second referendum following the vote two years ago to leave the EU. She says members of parliament will get to vote on whether to accept any final deal.
But with time running out for London and Brussels to thrash out a Brexit deal, the British government is preparing plans for a no-deal Brexit.
Finance minister Philip Hammond said last week Brexit could have to be delayed beyond March 29 to pass new laws, The Sun newspaper said.
Khan, a senior member of Britain’s opposition Labour Party, said Britain was now facing either a bad deal or a nodeal Brexit, both of which were incredibly risky for Britain.
Writing in Sunday’s Observer newspaper, Khan blamed the government’s handling of the negotiations and said the threat to living standards, the economy and jobs was too great for voters not to have a say.