Tony Blair: We need a second Brexit vote so that we don’t betray Britain’s future

The case for the People’s Vote is now overwhelming. The real betrayal of the country would be refusing it.

There have been two years of frankly fruitless negotiations. We are not agreed with Europe or among ourselves. There are at least three different versions of what the 2016 Brexit mandate means. The Chequers proposal is the least popular version on offer, polling miserably. Yet this is what our Government is threatening to stampede through Parliament or else plunge us into the abyss of a “no deal Brexit .”

Our knowledge of what Brexit entails from the single market and customs union to the Irish border is vastly enlarged. Facts have replaced claims. There has been no recession. But the value of our currency has fallen around 10-15 per cent — a prediction by the international markets of decline in our future wealth. Investment confidence in the UK is negative, the motor industry alone down by 40 per cent. Prices are up. The financial sector is moving jobs. And, no, we will not be seeing a £350 million weekly boost to the NHS. Instead, we are spending billions preparing for Brexit plus paying a £40 billion bill to Europe.

At a minimum, this thing has turned out to be much more complicated than anyone thought in June 2016.

In these circumstances it is natural common sense to ask: in the light of all we know now, is the will of the British people still for Brexit or to remain part of Europe?

SOURCE: https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/we-need-a-second-brexit-vote-so-that-we-don-t-betray-britain-s-future-a3943901.html