Young protesters want ‘People’s Vote’ for say on final Brexit deal
PROTESTERS took to Stormont yesterday to renew calls for a ‘People’s Vote’ on a final Brexit deal.
Members of Our Future, Our Choice NI met outside Queen’s University Belfast and travelled to Stormont in a bus carrying the slogan ‘77% of us don’t want Brexit’.
The group of 17-to-28-year-olds waved placards outside Parliament Buildings as they also criticised members of the Northern Ireland Assembly for being out of office.
They emerged from Our Future, Our Choice which formed when the members felt Northern Ireland needed a specific team.
Doire Finn, from the group, said: “We came together as a group in August and I think it is going well and there has been a massive amount of traction for a People’s Vote and I think it is being mentioned more and more each day.
“I think it is something which has to happen to save future generations to make sure they actually have something to believe in for a bright and prosperous future.”
The 23-year-old from Newry added: “We have worked really hard and are a cross-community organisation who have worked tirelessly to make sure we are moving away from green and orange issues and we are absolutely sick to the teeth that our politicians aren’t in Stormont, so that’s what we’re here to say.”
Adam Flanagan (17), another co-founder of Our Future, Our Choice NI, said: “Today we have got the battle bus over from England to Belfast to take it to Stormont to really try to make our voice heard.
“We want to tell our politicians, even though they’re not here, that we want a say in Brexit and we want a People’s Vote on the final deal.”
Mr Flanagan, who is doing his A-levels at Methodist College, Belfast but had the afternoon off, said: “I study German for A-level, so in the future I would plan to maybe spend a year or two in Germany.
“For me personally that opportunity is going to be massively inhibited by the consequences of Brexit.”
And Femi Oluwole, chief spokesperson for Our Future, Our Choice England, who was at the rally, said: “We have come to Stormont today to make the point that Northern Ireland isn’t being represented.
“Westminster needs to start treating Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland with some respect because quite simply we had a Brexit vote that just didn’t discuss the Brexit impact on Northern Ireland.”
He added: “The fact that it was decided to leave without having a proper discussion on the impact of Northern Ireland, given the history of it, is almost unforgivable.”