UK academics discuss what comes next for Brexit

<p>By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal</p> <p>LONDON (AA) – With just a week left before the scheduled date of Brexit, talks are underway for an extension requested by British Prime Minister Theresa May for the U.K.’s divorce from the EU.</p> <p> Campaigns are growing louder for a second referendum and even revoking Article 50 to remain in the bloc.</p> <p>Some 1 million people are planning to attend a massive rally for a “People’s Vote” on Saturday in central London. </p> <p>An event Thursday, one of many being held in the British capital at the moment, looked into various possibilities.</p> <p>Steve Peers from Essex University, an expert on the European Union, thinks there might be a longer extension to negotiate a softer version of Brexit.</p> <p>“One way or another the parliament would find a majority to ask her to renegotiate the future relationship and that could be done perhaps in a shorter period,” he told Anadolu Agency at an event organized at King’s College.</p> <p>The event, Brexit: What Now?, also featured Anand Menon and Sara Hobolt from the London School of Economics.</p> <p>Peers argued it does not look like there is a majority in parliament for a “People’s Vote.”</p> <p>“The Labour Party supports it but in an ambiguous and indirect way,” he said.</p> <p>Even if the party supports a second referendum, there still might not be a parliamentary majority as there is a backlash within the party as some MPs are on the Leave side, he said.</p> <p>Peers suggested that local elections in May might stop Labour MPs from weighing in on a second referendum.</p> <p>Hobolt said there is growing support for a second referendum in the U.K. but “it is not so overwhelming.”</p> <p>“The second referendum is mainly supported by people who voted to remain,” Hobolt told Anadolu Agency. “Most Leave voters are still very much against it.”</p> <p>Hobolt said the outcome of a second referendum might be to remain as “it looks like there is a majority” for it but “it is a small remain majority.”</p> <p> “And we know a lot of things can happen in referendum campaigns. But that's the way the public opinion is moving,” said Hobolt.</p> <p>She said the main messages in a campaign for a second referendum and who would mobilize more voters would play important parts in how people would vote. </p> <p>Events over the next few days are expected to loom large in the fate of Brexit.</p>