Campaigner on Brexit: To Remain a Democracy UK Needs to Leave on 29th of March

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage has announced that he will lead a pro Brexit protest march from Sunderland to London, in response to the British government’s continual failure to ensure the UK’s departure from the EU. Will this combined with further cabinet resignations be enough to coax Prime Minister Theresa May into getting her act together?

Sputnik spoke with political Campaigner Michael Swadling for more…

Sputnik: Should the UK just revert to WTO rules instead of extending Article Fifty?

Michael Swadling: I wouldn't characterise it as cutting our losses; I would characterise it as honouring democracy and honouring what we voted for in June 2016.

It would've been great if we could have got a free trade deal with the EU, but clearly they are completely intransigent so that's not an option, so to remain a democracy in this country we need to leave the EU on the 29th of March, and that would mean reverting to WTO rules for that.

Sputnik: Do the British public have the right to be outraged by the failure of the politicians to negotiate a Brexit deal?

Michael Swadling: There's a simmering anger at what's happening, and there's a right to be angry. Since 1832 with the Great Reform Act; we have had a series of laws passed extending the franchise further and further in this country, making us more democratic.

READ MORE: Prof on May's Brexit Deal: Little Chance of Getting Her Amended Plan Through

In recent years we've seen greater use of referenda to make big constitutional choices; when there's one the establishment don't like, they are throwing away our democracy. There should be anger, there should be problems, and these people are effectively declaring war on the British people.

Sputnik: How bad a job has Prime Minister Theresa May done in negotiating Brexit?

Michael Swadling: Theresa May has negotiated in bad faith throughout this process. She's constantly lied to her own cabinet members, her own party and to the British public.

She stood on a manifesto in 2017 saying that we would leave the customs union and the single market, and that was a complete and utter lie, nothing Theresa May says can be taken at face value, she's a proven liar to those closest to her, and the people she's there to represent.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of Michael Swadling and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Sputnik.