After the UK voted to leave the EU in a referendum, its political arena has become more divided with parties struggling to increase their influence and EU leaders urging the UK to leave as soon as possible.
Britons are collecting more signatures to call for second referendum.
The ruling Conservative Party and the opposition Labor Party are facing serious internal splits. The Conservative Party is seeking for a successor to Prime Minister David Cameron who said he will resign in October.
Leader of the Labor Party Jeremy Corbyn, who opposed Brexit, is also under pressure to step down. Half of senior leaders of the Labor Party said they would resign to press Jeremony Corbyn to withdraw from his post.
Mr. Corbyn is facing a no-confidence motion due to accusation of running a lackluster campaign in the June 23 referendum in which he failed to persuade Britons to stay in the EU.
One third of members of the Labor Party voted to leave. Labor MPs Margaret Hodge and Ann Coffey submitted a proposal on no-confidence motion against Corbyn, which could be voted on as early as Tuesday. But Mr, Corbyn said he would not resign.
Approximately 3 million Britons have signed a petition for another referendum. The petition argues that if the remain or leave vote is under 60% based on a turnout of less than 75% there should be another referendum.
The signatories came from all parts of the UK. Under the UK law, if a petition gathers at least 100,000 signatures, it will be discussed by the Parliament within 1 year.
Brexit has also created a negative precedence. Wales and Scotland, which have a high EU supporting rate, will conduct referendums to leave the UK. Scotland’s Governor Nicola Sturgeon said on Sunday that the Scottish parliament could block the passage of legislation necessary for the UK to leave the EU, if necessary to protect Scotland’s interests.
She said Scotland might hold a second referendum on Scottish independence, to keep Scotland in the EU, if that’s what the people of Scotland want. In the June 23 referendum, 62% of voters in Scotland voted remain and 32% voted leave.
The UK is also facing pressure from EU leaders who want to accelerate the UK’s departure at the upcoming EU Summit to be held on June 28 and 29.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister David Cameron insisted that negotiations on Brexit should be conducted after October when his successor is elected. Brexit has created chaos in the UK’s politics. Its impact is likely to be more extensive after the UK officially leave the EU.
