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Politics

21st Sep 2018

Two EU country leaders want Theresa May to hold a second Brexit referendum

Marc Mayo

The leaders of Czech Republic and Malta want a fresh vote

The prime ministers of Czech Republic and Malta have joined voices in the UK in calling for a People’s Vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal.

Andrej Babis and Joseph Muscat believe that a signification portion of British voters have changed their mind in the two years since the referendum, with the deadline on Article 50 negotiations less than five months away.

Prime Minister of Malta Muscat told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “My experience so far within the context of the European Council is that irrespective of one’s political allegiances, there is a lot of respect [for the first referendum].

“There is a unanimous, or almost unanimous, I would say right now, point of view around the table that we would like the almost impossible to happen, that the UK has another referendum.

“I think most of us would welcome a situation where there is the possibility of the British people putting things into perspective, seeing what has been negotiated, seeing the options and then deciding once and for all.”

The fallout from the EU’s summit in Salzburg has continued to raise more and more questions over how exactly the UK’s departure will take place.

“We hope that finally we will reach a deal but basically I am very unhappy that the UK is leaving,” he said in Salzburg.

“So it would be better maybe to make another referendum and maybe the people in the meantime could change their view.”

Theresa May refused to back down in the face of calls for a second referendum on Friday afternoon, specifically stating that: “I will not overturn the result of the referendum, nor will I break up my country.

“Neither side should demand the unacceptable of the other, we cannot accept anything that threatens the integrity of our union as they cannot accept anything that threatens the integrity of theirs.”