It could even be a whole general election where one or more sides puts a new referendum in their manifesto. Speaking alongside Sam Gyimah, who resigned as universities minister last month over the government’s Brexit plan, Lord Patten will say that the government’s threat of a no-deal Brexit if it cannot get its way is an empty one. The comments below have not been moderated. A second referendum may be the only way to end the 'sorry shambles' of Brexit, former Tory Cabinet minister Lord Patten (file image) will warn today. Most of the Labour Party are not like that.”. Deal or No Deal: countdown to Brexit continues as the deadline for crashing out of Europe fast approaches. “In other words, the EU has the decisive say on what happens: that is called ‘taking back control’.”. The other is the ongoing tempest raging in Westminster, or to put it in his memorable phrase, “this crazed ideological jihad we are involved in”.

What would the question and be who decides? “Why is the backstop necessary? Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong and a former EU commissioner for external affairs, is Chancellor of the University of Oxford. Unionists also complain that accepting a new referendum on Brexit would pave the way for another referendum on Scottish independence, threatening the future of the UK. Patten’s lifelong commitment to Europe follows a line that Britain never had it so good. Chris Patten, Lord Patten of Barnes, being interviewed by Harry McGee at NUI Galway. The Electoral Commission would make a recommendation and MPs would make the final decision on what the question would be.

Others advocate a two stage referendum - between Remain and Leave, followed by Mrs May's deal versus No Deal if Leave wins. Nobody knows for sure - and this is probably the hardest question of all. However you define that word, its temporary nature can only end when the 27 members of the EU agree this with the United Kingdom. Please subscribe to sign in to comment. Your screen name should follow the standards set out in our. The last British governor of Hong Kong will declare that a new public vote may be the only and the best way to prevent an act of “national self-harm” in the growing crisis over Brexit.
Lord Patten, who has previously said he hates referendums, will use a speech in London to say another vote may be required. Commenting on The Irish Times has changed. The campaign has picketed parliament for months (pictured), 'These are similar to the tactics made famous by Dr Strangelove: if you threaten that something crazy will happen, your opponents will back down.'. Some say it should be a simple repeat of last time, with Leave or Remain on the ballot paper. “People think if we get this withdrawal deal through, it’s all over. Photograph: Joe O’Shaughnessy. They talk about Canada-plus-plus-plus. But what has emerged in his view is a reverse – a view of Britain alone in the world that “betrays the most small-minded nationalism imaginable”. “I can never remember politics being in such a mess. In a speech at lunchtime, he will urge MPs to reject Theresa May's divorce deal next week and vote to block a no-deal Brexit. “The whole sorry shambles began with a decision to call a referendum in order to try to manage the English nationalist right wing of the Conservative party.

He argues the red lines and what he says were the “hopeless” ministerial negotiators have come back with a poor deal after two-plus years, with many more years of despair to come. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Donald Trump and Melania test POSITIVE for COVID and go into quarantine hours after Hope Hicks - who travelled with him on Air Force One - revealed she had contracted the virus, VP Pence would take power under 25th amendment if Trump becomes incapacitated and then it falls to Pelosi - but GOP still has time to pick a replacement if Trump becomes too ill before the election, 'Karma': Social media lights up as celebrities from Padma Lakshmi to Sophia Bush gloat about President Trump testing positive for coronavirus, Why did Trump diagnosis take so long if he's the 'most tested man in the world'? 'The whole sorry shambles began with a decision to call a referendum in order to try to manage the English nationalist right wing of the Conservative Party,' he will say. If you are polite, you say self-delusional. 0 Comments on this paragraph, 56 in all 56 Comments on this article Adrian Bursill Sep 16, 2019 Some politicians also feel it would simply reopen the wounds from the 2016 battle without really deciding anything more clearly. A new referendum would take almost six months - at least - to pass the necessary laws, establish campaigns and actually have the battle at the ballot box. Explore our guides to help you through the pandemic, Major Dublin restaurant group threatens State with legal action over Covid-19 restrictions, Coronavirus: stricter house visitor limits nationwide as 442 new cases confirmed, ‘One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear’: Trump on Covid-19, Covid-19 infections from funeral led to a third of one restaurant’s staff self-isolating, What happens now and what does it mean for Ireland? These are similar to the tactics made famous by Dr Strangelove: if you threaten that something crazy will happen, your opponents will back down.”. The account details entered are not currently associated with an Irish Times subscription. Chris Patten, the former Conservative party chairman, is to declare support for a second referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU.

He later became the last British governor of Hong Kong, an EU commissioner, and also chairman of the Patten Commission, which he says was probably the greatest success of his career. “I am very gloomy about the impact it has had on British politics.

Lord Patten will say that if Parliament cannot agree a close future relationship with the EU, possibly inside the customs union and single market, then a new referendum is the only way forward. We did very well out of it. Parliament would need to pass a new law for a referendum to be held. “No amount of verbal guff can deal with the real issue of the backstop. 'I don't believe that the Prime Minister or many members of her Cabinet think that this would be remotely responsible. Would exit have to be delayed from March 29? Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. A Catholic with Irish antecedents from the northwest of England, he won a scholarship to Oxford, became a Tory MP, then chairman of the party, and engineered John Major’s unlikely victory in 1992, in an election where he lost his own seat. It is meant to be temporary. “What makes it worse is the Labour Party is in such a mess as well, with a leadership with a hopeless Chavez acolyte leading it and a group of people who are hardline Stalinist in their world view around him. We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

It would be very damaging. This might be a simple vote of MPs after Mrs May's deal has been rejected. Unlike last time, the referendum law could make the result legally binding and the question could be more specific than last time. Lord Patten: ‘No amount of verbal guff can deal with the real issue of the backstop.’, who resigned as universities minister last month over the. Lord Patten will endorse the 'People's Vote' campaign for a new vote despite admitting his loathing of referendums. When you have reset your password, you can, Please choose a screen name. I am 74,” he says. See more here. It would be very damaging. Lots of factors could cause delays and short of sweeping political agreement on the rules of a campaign almost no way to speed up the process. On Monday, he will tell an audience at a neighbourhood centre in south London that he has changed his mind since David Cameron’s historic decision to hold the EU referendum in 2016. The Tory peer won support to amend the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill - … And the outcome recalls one of Churchill’s more famous aphorisms: “The trouble with committing political suicide is that you live to regret it.” By Tim Sculthorpe, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline, Published: 04:21 EDT, 7 January 2019 | Updated: 20:07 EDT, 7 January 2019. 'Nothing proposed is as good as what we have now,' he will say, and any plan would require unanimous approval from the 27 remaining EU countries.

We got Europe a la carte. The Government could call such a vote at any time. Stay on top of the latest news with our daily newsletters each morning, lunchtime and evening. It’s hard to think of a British politician held in greater affection in Ireland than Chris Patten, and difficult to imagine a more unlikely profile for an Irish hero. Lord Patten has endorsed the 'People's Vote' campaign for a new vote despite admitting his loathing of referendums. This assumes about 11 weeks to pass the necessary laws and another 11 weeks for the campaign - both a preliminary period to set up formal campaigns on each side and then a main short campaign. Lord Patten has a CV bedecked with achievement. “We should have a delay until the end of the year or early next year and go back to those awful bloody red lines, and you would try to go back and negotiate something like the Norway Agreement, which would not be as good as what we have now. A British Tragedy in One Act Jun 24, 2016 Chris Patten In a sense, Brexit began in the 1940s, with Winston Churchill and his vision of Europe. Before that can even happen, for political reasons there would probably have to be some kind of moment creating a 'mandate' for a new referendum as it is something neither of the main parties promised at the last election.
“Nothing is as good as EU. But Parliament could force the PM into the decision - prompting Nigel Farage to tell Leave campaigners to prepare for another vote. Despite a growing clamour holding a new vote is a complicated and lengthy process, requiring new laws, agreement on a question - and a delay to Brexit day on March 29. “I think that it’s important that the UK, no matter what happens in Brexit, understands it has a huge responsibility in not returning Northern Ireland to bloodshed.”.

He will compare the Prime Minister to Dr Strangelove, the scientist in Stanley Kubrick's Cold War satire about nuclear destruction. Speaking at a People's Vote event, which will also be attended by former minister Sam Gyimah, Lord Patten will say that greater difficulties lie ahead if Mrs May's Brexit deal is passed and negotiations begin on a future trading relationship. Some campaigners also say the 2016 referendum was not an informed choice because too many of the implications of Leave were unknown.

Political irony is clearly not dead,” he remarks. Lord Patten has endorsed the 'People's Vote' campaign for a new vote despite admitting his loathing of referendums.