Nine months after the shocked referendum and on 46 years of living together with United Europe forged from the ashes of the Second World War, Britain opted to take its fate in its own hands making the split inevitable with a small margin of votes as 52 percent Britons voted for the exit as against 48 percent for remaining with Europe.
But since the referendum, emotional debates are not ending because most cosmopolitan voters like in London and other big cities want to remain with the EU while people mainly in rural areas voted for the exit. Even on Wednesday when May signed the Brexit letter huge crowd gathered in London streets and elsewhere to protest the move demanding a second referendum saying British public opinion has already swayed against the split. They have already understood the blunder that may befall on trade and financial market. They are not happy to be isolated with the memory of a past imperial pride that can serve now no purpose.
Prime Minister Theresa May was personally in favour of remaining with the EU, but as the true leader of the nation she has now taken the move to implement the wish of the majority of the British voters – no matter she is not happy about it. But most British intelligentsia and political leaders like former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and host of others have demanded a second referendum to reverse the move.
But May in her letter has told the EU leaders to start activate the two years exit process as provided under Article 50 of Lisbon Treaty. She has said, ‘this is an historic moment and there can be no turning back’ although she faces a tough battle of unity of the United Kingdom as it faces internal split by way of a second referendum of Scottish independence.
More than 62 percent Scottish voters voted for remaining with EU and if May has to respect voters’ opinion, she can’t ignore their opinion as well. Voters in North Ireland also voted by majority to remain with EU and they are opposed to close the border with Republic of Ireland to enjoy free access to mainland Europe.
Brexit has seriously threatened the unity of the EU at a time when election of Donald Trump — another isolationist to US Presidency has come as a big boost Euroskeptics; who want to fold their nations within their borders. Like Trump, France’s right wing leader Marina Le Pen is courting Vladimir Putin who wants to see European Union to break down. But the defeat of ultra-right in The Netherlands and Austria and recent victory of Angela Markel’s party in local Saarland elections in Germany appears to suggest that voters are clearly rejecting isolationist policies. But future of Britain remains as shaky as EU as they are moving ahead to put their house in order.
