There is 'Good Chance' May's Brexit Deal Will Be Accepted – Henry Bolton

But is there any chance of hard-line Brexiteers accepting, what are essentially weak proposals? Sputnik discussed this with Henry Bolton, the leader of the new Our Nation party and former UKIP leader.

Sputnik: Now that Article Fifty has been extended, will May's deal be accepted?

Henry Bolton: I think that there's a good chance that it might be. It depends in my view on what conditions the EU places on that extension, because of course the British government now is tasked by parliament to request an extension, and they will undoubtedly provide a time period on that, so they will be asking for an extension for a particular period of time.

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We don't know what that will be yet but the talk is of the thirtieth of June, which would avoid having to participate in the European parliamentary elections, but at the end of the day the EU has to agree to an extension.

It may well be that the EU places such conditions on it that a sufficient number of MPs think that a better option would be rather than taking on those conditions, to pass May's deal, when she puts it in front of the House of Commons next Wednesday.

There is a good chance if the EU puts stringent conditions on an extension that her deal may pass. I think that would be a frightful thing for this country because her deal is an appalling deal.

Sputnik: Is Brexit in its truest sense dead?

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Henry Bolton: Theresa May defined Brexit as Brexit which I think is ridiculous. It gave her wriggle room to do whatever she wanted, all her deal does is take us out of EU institutions and decision making bodies, whilst keeping us subordinate to policies, regulations, laws and frameworks that are created in Brussels, now and in the future.

It is Brexit in name only and is not Brexit in my view. Brexit is only Brexit if it delivers full independence of all areas of government, law and public administration, her deal does not do that.

Sputnik: What will the public's reaction be if the Prime Minister's deal is accepted?

Henry Bolton: The public is a broad thing. Seventeen point four million people voted to leave the EU, and there will be a small proportion of that number who are happy simply to leave under her terms but the vast majority of them I think will be extremely angry.

Of course the people who voted to remain will be very happy, so I think it will continue the divisions and polarisations in British society, and as a result it will be significantly damaging.

We should be looking towards national unity on this issue, not perpetuating division.

The views and opinions expressed by the speaker do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.