“I’m beginning to think Brexit may never happen” Vince Cable confessed to Andrew Marr this morning. The favourite to be the next Lib Dem leader became the latest commentator to express doubt that the government’s Brexit course is achievable or likely to ever happen.
“The problems are so enormous, the divisions within the two major parties are so enormous. I can see a scenario in which this doesn’t happen,” the former Business Secretary told the BBC on Sunday.
Earlier this week, the BBC’s own Political Editor Nicholas Watt claimed to have information from ‘senior sources’ in the government that Britain’s exit from the EU could yet be legally blocked, despite the result of the referendum and the triggering of Article 50.
“I am beginning to hear talk in some quarters that Brexit may not actually happen,” he said.
“I spoke to one Leave supporter who now feared that a combination of a stalling economy and investor fear over a possible [Jeremy] Corbyn premiership could create a storm that would stall Brexit.
“I spoke to another person who’s familiar with the Brexit process who said to me they think there is a strong chance that it may not actually happen.
“But I did speak to one senior Brexiteer who is absolutely confident that Brexit will happen if only for one very simple reason – Labour divisions mean that the legislation paving the way for Brexit will get through Parliament.”
Eurosceptic Conservative MP Owen Paterson poured scorn on Vince Cable’s comments on Sunday, saying the Liberal Democrat was just “chucking buckets of water around” and dismissing the “huge vote” in favour of Britain leaving the European Union, as well as the result of the election.
“Vince Cable’s party went down in votes, as did the other little parties who want to stay in the European Union,” he told the BBC’s Sunday Politics, adding “I am afraid Vince is behind history. We are going to leave.”
Cable admitted that the prospect of a second referendum on the terms of a Brexit deal “didn’t really cut through in the general election”.
But he said it could offer voters “a way out when it becomes clear the Brexit is potentially disastrous”.
Theresa May triggered article 50 earlier this year by letter, serving the official notice of Britain’s intent to leave the Union. Both the Labour party and Conservatives vowing to “respect” the result, despite huge party splits on the issue and the prospect of a Soft or Hard Brexit and the economic stability of remaining within the common market and customs union.
With huge claims of misinformation on both sides and the electoral collapse of Ukip, many people who voted in favour of leaving the European union in the referendum that was legally advisory have quickly changed their minds, as the consequences for income prospects and industry are becoming clearer, with recent opinion polls showing that many regions that voted leave have changed their mind, and the prospect of a second referendum polling more popular that ever.
MPs are set to vote on the Repeal Bill, the Brexit legislation that will repatriate European Union law into British laws as part of British exit from the European Union when they return from their summer recess in the autumn.
https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/frankfurt-confident-poaching-britains-e930-billion-clearing-industry-brexit/07/07/
https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/remain-win-new-brexit-vote-referendum-held-today-poll-reveals/03/07/
https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/number-eu-nurses-registering-practice-uk-96-since-brexit/12/06/
