Pro-EU veteran Ken Clarke blasts ‘hardcore Remainers’ who are plunging Britain into crisis with bid to cancel Brexit
The ex-Chancellor compared second referendum campaigners to Mussolini
FANATICAL Remainers who demand a second referendum on Brexit are plunging Britain into chaos, Tory veteran Ken Clarke warned today.
The veteran pro-EU Tory hit out at his own allies - comparing them to fascist leader Mussolini for their attempts to get a second Brexit vote.
He also blasted Theresa May for failing to reach across the political divide to build support for her deal with the EU.
Mr Clarke is known for his strong support of the EU and was the only Tory MP to vote against the triggering of Article 50 which legally enacts Brexit.
But he said campaigners trying to secure a re-run of the 2016 referendum are on the wrong track.
The ex-Chancellor : "Some of my normal political allies, hardcore Remainers like me, seem to believe they can oppose it, cause a chaotic crisis, and that will cause another referendum, which might reverse the result.
“The purpose of a referendum is to get round a parliamentary majority to make Parliament irrelevant. Mussolini was brilliant at using them."
Mr Clarke is backing the PM's deal when it comes for a vote in Parliament later this month.
But he predicted it was unlikely to pass - and criticised Mrs May for not working with other parties to get a deal which could succeed.
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He said: "The only solution in Parliament is a cross-party appeal. They are still going back to thinking the secret lies with the DUP - that if you get those it will be all right.
"They won’t get the DUP and I don’t think that’s right."
Mr Clarke predicted the Government would have to revoke Article 50 because time will run out before we find a way to leave the EU successfully.
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