The EU and the U.K. government agreed last Friday to open intensive “tunnel” negotiations to reach a Brexit deal this week. The agreement to accelerate talks in a bid to secure a deal came following a meeting between British Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
Barnier reportedly received the green light to start crunch talks with British officials.
'Be patient,' Barnier told reporters after the meeting.
'Brexit is like climbing a mountain. We need vigilance, determination and patience,' he said.
A new referendum on European Union membership would cause the U.K. to remain in the bloc, a veteran British politician has stated.
Lord John Olav Kerr, one of the architects of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, thinks public opinion on Brexit has changed since the 2016 referendum.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency in London, Kerr underlined that more than 200 polls since the referendum show that decisive change.
“If the 2016 referendum is rerun, I think it would have the opposite result,” he said.
“That’s principally because the young people in this country, who did not vote in large numbers last time, now are mobilized.”
Kerr said a million young people will take to London’s streets on Oct. 19 to demand a second referendum, which its supporters refer to as the ‘People’s Vote.’
“I think this country is better aware now what leaving would mean,” he said.
He explained that the destination was not defined before, but now the public is aware of where the country is heading with Brexit.
“I think it is pretty clear that if we do get a referendum, and I think we will, then that referendum will result in the decision to stay in the European Union.”