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Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Over 300,000 Britons Demand 2nd Brexit Referendum

With a no-deal Brexit scenario already on the horizon, more UK politicians have started to signal their willingness to support a 'Final Say' referendum on Britain's withdrawal from the EU.
Sputnik

The Independent's petition to pressure the UK government to holding a second Brexit referendum has already attracted the support of more than 300,000 people in the past 48 hours, according to the newspaper.

It reported that the supporters include high-ranking officials from all the major parties, such as Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable, former Tory cabinet minister Justine Greening and Green leader Caroline Lucas.

READ MORE: UK Football Legend Lineker Joins Club of 2nd Brexit Vote Supporters

Cable touted the Liberal Democrats' struggle for "the British people to have the final say on any Brexit deal, or worse still, no deal."

"This vote must include an option for an exit from Brexit. I congratulate The Independent for joining this campaign. It's both a brave and correct move," Cable said. He was echoed by Lucas, who said that the Independent's action was "already making a huge impact."

Expressing his support for the Final Say campaign, former Deputy British Prime Minister Nick Clegg, for his part, stressed that "with each passing day it's obvious that Brexit can't be left to the politicians."

READ MORE: UK to Stockpile Medicines and 'Vital Supplies' as No-Deal Brexit Looms

"The whole Brexit process has been characterized by division and infighting in Westminster. The victors of the 2016 referendum still can't agree amongst themselves what they want, two years later," Clegg told The Independent.

He was echoed by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who tweeted that "33m+ people voted in the EU referendum wanting a better country, not to be poorer, not to put further pressure on our already-stretched health service, not for job losses or to stockpile food and medicines."

Also backing the second Brexit referendum are ex-Attorney General Dominic Grieve, who said that another such vote is "the sensible way forward" and former Education Secretary Justine Greening, who slammed the government's current Brexit blueprint as "the worst of both worlds" which would "suit no-one."

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Meanwhile, an official YouGov poll has revealed that at least 42 percent of Britons want a second Brexit vote, while 40 percent were opposed to it.

Many hardline Brexiteers are up in arms against the prospect of a second referendum, warning it may distract from negotiations, which are already behind schedule.

Earlier, Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab rejected speculation that the government is stockpiling food, but admitted that London will try to ensure that a possible no Brexit deal scenario would not disrupt food supplies.

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