A second Brexit referendum will lead to great anger in Britain. This is what Boris Johnson, the former British foreign minister, predicts, and firmly in favour of a departure from the European Union.
At a news conference in New Delhi, Johnson said he was expecting major problems when British Prime Minister May agreed to hold louder calls to a second referendum on Brexit.
The main argument for this from supporters of such a referendum: in the meantime, it is more clear what the economic and social consequences will be of a British departure, and it is, therefore, wise to weigh up all the pros and cons again.
Johnson anticipates that the full first Brexit campaign will have to be over again. “I think the anger will be intense among the population. People are going crazy at the thought of voting on this thing again.
The 2016 campaign was very bitter and splitting, “says Johnson, who is satisfied that a majority of the British will vote again before Brexit. The latter is not apparent from recent polls: they give a small advantage to those who are against Brexit.
Meanwhile, fighting in the Prime Minister’s cabinet remains between supporters and opponents of a Brexit. In the case of a ‘no-deal Brexit‘, the United Kingdom will unilaterally decide to follow all EU directives on food safety and animal welfare for at least nine months, according to The Telegraph on its site yesterday. That measure must protect British farmers.
The Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs received the green light from the Cabinet last week for that plan, writes the newspaper. The United States wants Britain to remove or at least reduce barriers to US agricultural and livestock products after the Brexit. That would greatly benefit the chances of a bilateral free trade agreement.