A petition calling for Brexit to be halted and the UK to remain a member of the EU has hit more than three million signatures in just two days.
Created by former college lecturer Margaret Anne Georgiadou, the bid was attracting nearly 2,000 signatures every minute on Friday, with the Commons’ petitions committee admitting it’s the fastest-growing campaign they have ever had.
So, as Theresa May faces yet another huge week in parliament and a last ditch bid to win support for her exit deal, we hit the streets to find out if people are aware of the petition – and to ask it they think it could offer a solution to the current crisis.
On the streets of Preston – where 53% of voters backed Leave – we discovered that like most of the rest of the nation, people are sick to the back teeth of the Brexit debacle. Here’s what they had to say...
‘I no longer want to stay in this country’
Ali Sankoh is completely disillusioned with the UK and the antics of its politicians surrounding Brexit. “It’s like a reality TV show and is just a big mess,” said the 25-year-old sports science student. “I feel the politicians are all frauds and none of them care about this country.
“They are promoting the use of democracy via scaremongering and the whole country at the moment is a joke.
Sankoh said the “hot topics” focused on during the 2016 referendum debate, including immigration and the economy, “haven’t been fixed” and that too many people failed to have their say in the initial poll.
While Sankoh desperately wanted the UK to remain a member of the EU and thinks the sentiments behind the petition are positive, he is sceptical as to whether it will actually change anything.
“Even if people vote again, in my opinion, politicians will try and brainwash people again. All we are doing is moving back to a place where this country is being openly racist again and people are trying to make immigrants the scapegoats,” he said.
“I don’t care any more and I really don’t want to live in this country any longer. Within the next five years, I want to get my education and enough money so I can get out at the first opportunity.”
‘Brexit is a bloody mess’
Gina Gonzales says she is so fed up of Brexit, she now “switches off” whenever the topic is raised, as she doesn’t see any way out.
But she said the petition sounds like it could break the deadlock. “Brexit is a bloody mess and the politicians are getting paid a fortune for not doing what they are supposed to be doing,” the 54-year-old support worker said.
“The overriding thing for me is that people did not have enough information to make an informed choice when they voted and they did not know what it would mean and what leaving would entail.
“I had not heard about this petition, because I now find myself switching off when I hear about Brexit as I am just not interested anymore.
“But I think this petition sounds great and the fact so many people have signed it in such a short space of time shows the strength of feeling.
“I think they need to stop this whole process now and get off the boat.
“They should definitely revoke Article 50 and let the economy settle back down and then go back to the drawing board and start again.”
‘I voted Leave – but I regret it’
Francesca Appleton voted to leave the EU – but confesses in hindsight it was the wrong decision and wants another chance to vote with proper knowledge.
The 40-year-old, who has her own cleaning company, said she made her decision “because of the propaganda at the time,” adding: “I just voted out without really knowing what I was voting for.”
She added: “I have now had second thoughts and in hindsight, I realise I should have listened to my partner, who works for the police, and who voted to remain.
“My vote was a rash decision and I now regret it, and think we should remain in the EU.
“I had not heard about this petition, but I think it sounds great and I really hope it makes a difference.”
Appleton said the pros and cons on leaving the bloc “should have been made clearer” in 2016.
“If they had, I think myself and many others would have had a completely different viewpoint,” she added.
“Everything is so up in the air with Brexit at the moment and no-one knows what is happening.
“It is all a big mess and it doesn’t reflect well on us as a country.”
‘People feel so strongly, so they should get a second chance’
Muhammad Nawaz, 55, left Pakistan and lived in Belgium for 25 years before moving to Preston with his family a few years ago.
He said he came to the UK to give his children the chance of a great education and he thinks Brexit is a bad idea.
The self-employed languages tutor welcomes the Revoke Article 50 petition and hopes it will lead to an EU exit being abandoned.
“People need to reunite rather than disintegrate, and we all need to live together in a brotherly fashion,” he said. “I hope this petition leads to the country realising that Brexit was a bad decision and that it needs to be abandoned.
“This is a democratic country, so if this petition shows how strongly people feel, they need to listen and hold another vote.
“Even MPs are feeling hesitant about going through with Brexit, so there should be another referendum to make sure they do what people really want.”
‘We voted to leave, so that’s what should happen’
Retired policeman Bernard Prince, 71, believes a democratic decision was taken by the country to leave the EU – so that’s what should happen.
“I voted to leave because I think it will make us a better country and make our economy stronger,” he said.
“But the decision to leave is being obstructed by the government and everything has got too complicated for the average layman.
“I don’t agree with this petition and am opposed to it, as I still want to leave.
“This petition is a waste of time, as a democratic vote was taken and a decision was made and that should be it – full-stop.”