British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday said she does not ‘believe’ Article 50 should be revoked, reaffirming her resolve to honour the 2016 referendum where the UK voted to leave the European Union.
“I do not believe that we should be revoking Article 50. that is not something we should be doing,” May said during a presser after the European Union meeting where the bloc agreed to extend Brexit with a two-part plan.
“The last general elections, 80 per cent of the votes were cast for Members of Parliament who stood on a manifesto to honour that decision, respect the referendum. I think the time is now to deliver for the British people. The time is now to make the decision,” she reinforced.
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She highlighted that an alternate plan would be put forth in case her Withdrawal Deal is rejected for the third time by the British Parliament next week.
The leader’s comments come a day after she chided the British MPs for rejecting her Withdrawal Deal with the EU twice, leading to mounting fears regarding a no-deal Brexit.
“So far parliament has done everything possible to avoid making a choice. Motion after motion and amendment after amendment has been tabled without Parliament ever deciding what it wants. All MPs have been willing to say is what they do not want,” she mentioned, asking the MPs to back the deal during the third vote which is speculated to be held next week.
Responding to the criticism regarding her previous comments, May said: “Last night I expressed my frustration, and I know that MPs are frustrated too. They have difficult jobs to do.”
Despite efforts to avoid the future situation, fears of a no-deal Brexit still loom large as political lines remain deeply divided regarding Britain’s exit from the EU.
According to the plan approved on Thursday, the EU agreed to extend Article 50 till May 22, provided the British Parliament supports the Withdrawal Deal next week when May holds a meaningful vote.
If the Parliament rejects the deal again, the UK will be given an extension only till April 12, according to Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council.
In 2016, over 50 per cent of the UK electorate voted to leave the EU, following which the British government triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, beginning the country’s process of its exit from the European bloc. The country was previously slated to exit the bloc on March 29.
(ANI)