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On the pulse: Should the UK have a second referendum on Brexit?

The topic everyone dreads talking about: Brexit.

On June 23 2016, the referendum took place altering the direction the UK was heading in.

It was predicted we would securely leave the European Union by 2019, yet the issue still holds a substantial part in everyday politics.

The complexity of the issue has grown with Theresa May losing her majority in 2017 when attempting to secure a strong position on Brexit and David Davis resigning as the Brexit Minister in early July 2018.

We took to the streets of Wimbledon to ask people’s opinions on ‘whether there should be a second referendum on Brexit?’

YES                                                                                        NO
40%                                                                                       60%

With the result weighing against a referendum re-run, it was clear the public were content with Theresa May’s refusal to hold another vote.

Anna Vaughey, originally from Ireland, stood firmly for a second referendum for the sake of keeping relations with Europe and the many trade links we have.

She was concerned about the future of the Irish border and worried Brexit would lead to a repeat in history.

YES PLEASE! Anna thinks we should have another referendum

Rachel Hibbin favoured for the motion of another referendum due to the conditions the initial one was conducted under.

She thought the country, as a whole, was misled and misinformed on the effects of Brexit and what it resulted in.

Additionally, the fact that the Brexit vote was 51.9% to 48.1% was undemocratic, in her opinion, as it meant that nearly half the country was left unrepresented and dissatisfied with the direction the country was heading in.

Instead, the result should have had at least a two-third majority for it to be truly democratic and fair.

However, Mairi Mascogg didn’t see the need for another vote – she viewed another referendum as an attack on the basic principles of democracy, ‘rule by the people’, and thought the initial vote had to be respected and carried through.

Similarly, Tony from Battersea, held the same view but for different reasons.

He felt Remainers simply wanted to force upon others to vote based on their views.

The introduction and the act of pushing for a second referendum was the Remainers tactics of having the UK shaped to their views, according to Tony.

IT’S A NO FROM ME: Tony believes there shouldn’t be another referendum 

Ultimately, the majority of people in Wimbledon decided they would not agree on a second referendum for Brexit.

While talking to the general public, they felt the referendum should not be undermined and democracy should be respected.

Featured image courtesy of Annika Haas via Flickr, with thanks

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