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Will of UK people could be confirmed in European election

Jane Morrice has said Northern Ireland should be given "honorary" European Union (EU) membership while remaining part of the UK
Jane Morrice has said Northern Ireland should be given "honorary" European Union (EU) membership while remaining part of the UK Jane Morrice has said Northern Ireland should be given "honorary" European Union (EU) membership while remaining part of the UK

BREXIT should be put to the people through the European Parliament election, it has been urged.

Jane Morrice, a member of the European Economic and Social Committee, said creative solutions were needed to avert a constitutional crisis and chart a way forward for the EU.

The former Women's Coalition assembly member has said Northern Ireland should be given honorary EU membership while remaining part of the UK.

Instead of a vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's deal, Ms Morrice suggested she could request parliament proposes postponing the Article 50 process until after the European Parliament election.

This election, she said, would be regarded as "a legitimate combination of a general election and a referendum to test the ‘will of the people’ on where the UK stands on its membership of the EU".

For this to be clear, UK candidates, would need to declare unequivocally whether they were pro or anti Brexit, she said, and the number of MEPs elected would dictate the future direction.

"If the overwhelming majority (60 per cent) of those MEPs elected were pro-Brexit, Article 50 would be reopened for a six month period, negotiations finalised, a deal struck before the year end, UK MEPS would agree to resign their seats and the UK would leave the EU," Ms Morrice said.

"If the overwhelming majority (60 per cent) of UK MEPs elected were anti-Brexit, Article 50 would be revoked, the negotiations shelved, the MEPs would retain their seats and the UK would remain a member of the EU.

If the result was inconclusive, she added, the government would commit to holding a `preferendum' with three options, including the choice for the UK to remain in the EU.