Which Brexit outcome do Warwick students think MPs should vote for?

A poll conducted by The Boar asked students at the University of Warwick “Which of the seven options should the MPs vote for?”, ahead of a series of indicative votes on various Brexit outcomes set to take place in the House of Commons at 7pm on Wednesday 27 March.

The most popular option in the poll was a second referendum on Brexit which a third of the 522 respondents voted for. It was followed closely by the option to ‘Revoke Article 50’ which 30.3% of respondents chose.

A no-deal Brexit came in as the third most popular in the poll with 16.7% of respondents choosing it as the option MPs should vote for.

The other four options respondents could vote for were: Prime Minister’s Deal (PMD), PMD with customs union, PMD with customs union and single market, or a standard free trade agreement. These options gained less than 10% of votes each.

A number of comments were left by those who voted in The Boar’s poll.

One respondent, who chose the option of a second referendum, said: “Having a second referendum is the only logical thing to do given the lying that went on during the first referendum campaigning, and also the slim majority with which it was concluded.”

Another commented: “Put it to the people again now we know what an incompetently handled Brexit looks like.”

The most popular option in the poll was a second referendum on Brexit, closely followed by the option to Revoke Article 50

“Only seems fair that we get to vote on the actual deal on the table rather than the vague idea of Brexit,” a third respondent said.

Voting for the ‘Revoke Article 50’ option in the poll, Annie Hartley, a second-year History and Politics student explained that it was “because of the way Brexit is currently being negotiated, the EU is a flawed institution but it’s better to try and change it from within than leave in a way which in the short term is bad for our economy”.

Second-year PAIS and French student, Alice Skippings, who also opted for ‘Revoke Article 50’ in the poll told The Boar: “In regard to revoking Article 50 versus putting it to the people again, I see the sides of both arguments, but we’ve had three years of seeing the direction in which Brexit has been going, and despite people still seeming to want to leave, there must be a point when the voices of experts and those who are not personally invested in Brexit […] should be put above other voices, and a decision must be made on behalf of the country.”

Last week a government petition entitled “Revoke Article 50 and remain in the EU” was created. As of the evening of Wednesday 27 March, it has gained over 5.8 million signatures, making it the most supported appeal on the Government’s official petitions website. It is to be debated in Parliament on 1 April.

Those who voted for no-deal in the poll include Richard Seed, a first-year History student who commented: “Remaining in the EU for a moment longer than we have tonight is in fact dangerous. It increases the division in the nation and could become violent.

“Once we finally leave we can move on and tackle the issues that really need to be tackled such as the rise in crime and the failing state of our education system.”

He also told The Boar that a second referendum would be “an absolute disgrace to this nation” as “we fought a civil war in this country to establish the principle of democracy”. He thinks that “now the establishment are trying to overturn it just because they fear an economic hit”.

A no-deal Brexit came in as the third most popular in the poll with 16.7% of votes

A respondent who voted for no-deal similarly commented: “Clearly, all other options are not viable. The only way to fulfil the 2016 referendum result is to leave without a deal.”

A second respondent said: “May’s deal hasn’t passed and the EU says there is no other deal on the table. It is time to leave on no deal.”

Jacob Jefferson, a first-year History student told The Boar that although he voted for no-deal in the poll, he had “actually changed [his] mind to support May’s deal after developments this week”.

When asked why, he said: “Brexit has to happen for democracy to be fulfilled and it’s the only option left on the table” since there is “no majority for no deal in the commons” meaning “any other form of Brexit would be softer.”

Likewise, a respondent who chose the PMD believed it to be “the best out of the contradictions of Brexit”.

40 of the poll’s respondents chose the PMD as the best option for MPs to vote for, while 27 opted to vote for a standard free trade agreement.

Once we finally leave we can move on and tackle the issues that really need to be tackled such as the rise in crime and the failing state of our education system

– Richard Seed

Conrad Lewandowski, a third-year Biochemistry student, voted for a standard free trade agreement in the poll because he thinks it “is the best Brexit outcome as it delivers on the result of the referendum by allowing the UK to regain control over its own laws”.

“It also allows us to make our own trade deals around the world with fast growing economies, whilst still maintaining our close trading relationship with the EU,” he said.

The results follow a People’s Vote march in London on Saturday 23 March which a number of Warwick students attended.

Alex Cowan, a second-year History and Politics student who went, told The Boar: “The march represented millions of people who know that Brexit isn’t better than the deal we have now, I hope the march shows that we don’t want an isolationist Britain and that we are always stronger when we cooperate.”

Second-year German and English Literature student Lucie Carr, another attendee, commented: “I went because I feel very strongly about having a second referendum, I think it would be undemocratic at this point to not have another referendum and ignore the will of so many unhappy people who were misinformed first time around anyway.”

It was a super important thing to do, even if just to show that actually if we really are in a democracy then people have a right to change their minds

– Izzy Gatward

“My mum is also French and I have dual citizenship, my parents met through Erasmus and so I have a real personal tie to Europe and the EU. It makes me incredibly sad to think that we are no longer going to be part of a community which promotes peace and solidarity.”

Maya McQueen, a second-year English Literature student also went commented that “the atmosphere at the march was one of coming together”, while fourth-year French and German student Izzy Gatward shared: “It was a super important thing to do, even if just to show that actually if we really are in a democracy then people have a right to change their minds.”

For the Term 2 All Student Vote (ASV) conducted by the students’ union (SU), the motion “Warwick SU for a People’s Vote” was passed, with 564 students voting in favour and 243 votes against.

Second year History student Nathan Boroda, who wrote the motion, said to The Boar: “I’m an activist in For our Future’s Sake, a youth and student led organisation campaigning for a People’s Vote and that’s what got me really involved…it’s the biggest issue of our time and has huge implications for universities and students.”

The motion was seconded by Joseph Blomefield, a Politics student in his second year. He commented: “I support the idea of a People’s Vote because no one had all the facts – not the Remain side, and not the Leave side. Everyone who voted in 2016, as well as the new generation of voters like myself, should have the right to examine the options that our parliamentary democracy has given to us after years of negotiating.

“Revoking Article 50 should only occur at the behest of the people – that is, if the people who voted Brexit no longer believe in the Brexit project. The only reason Brexiteers are scared of this idea is not because it’s a betrayal of British democracy – it’s because they’re scared of the likely outcome, which is the people realising that this Brexit process has been disastrous and divisive for our country.”