The online petition to revoke article 50 and remain in the EU has gained further momentum in recent days as the uncertainty around Brexit grows after the granting of a delay beyond the March 29 deadline.
In Fermanagh and South Tyrone in total there are currently 708 signatures which translates to 0.67 per cent of 105,496 constituents.
Over two million people in the UK have signed the online petition.
Article 50 is one of the many parts of the Lisbon Treaty which was created in December 2009. This was part of a process to make the EU “more democratic, more transparent, and more efficient.” The agreement was signed by heads of states and governments that were part of the EU. Article 50 was part of this agreement. It is a simple five point plan outlining recommendation should any country wish to leave the European Union. The plan recognises the right of a member state to withdraw from the EU and the procedure they must take to do so.
Revoking this five point plan of Article 50 would mean not leaving the EU at all. This means it would stop Brexit completely.
Despite the public support for the EU petition Prime Minister Theresa May has said she “will not countenance” revoking article 50. At 10,000 signatures an online petition will be considered for a debate in Parliament.
The petition has been gaining support since Wednesday evening after Mrs May’s speech criticising MPs for not supporting her recent Brexit deal. Mrs May also told the country “I am on your side”. On Thursday the website crashed due to the increasing number of people on the site wishing to provide their signature.
Prime Minister May visited Brussels yesterday in the hope of gaining a three month extension to the UKs departure from the EU on March 29. At the summit Mrs May and EU leaders agreed on an extension up until April 12. This was described by EU officials as “The new 29 March”.
The Brexit deal will go to the House of Commons again on Tuesday. However, it is unlikely that it will win the support of MPs. The UK is set to remain a member state of the EU until 22 May this will allow withdrawal legislation to be passed.
The Prime Minister has given the MPs a clear decision. Decision one is to vote through her Brexit deal next week or it will be back to Brussels again for Mrs May to come up with an alternative route. The other only alternative is a no-deal Brexit. A no-deal Brexit could spell disaster for not only the whole of the UK but Northern Ireland.
If you would like to see the breakdown of how many have signed the petition in Fermanagh South Tyrone, Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdon then click on this link
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