EU Court: UK is free to change its mind

According to a new judgment, the The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) states that the UK is free to stop Brexit. If it wants to, that is.

The CJEU says “The United Kingdom is free to revoke unilaterally the notification of its intention to withdraw.” The CJEU continues: “Such a revocation, decided in accordance with its own national constitutional requirements, would have the effect that the United Kingdom remains in the EU […]”.

Dame Margaret Beckett, a supporter of a second referendum and Labour member, says according to the Guardian that “We now all know beyond any doubt that we can stay in the EU – it’s not too late”. On the opposite side, Brexiteers like environment secretary Michael Gove say that the judgment doesn’t change much. “We voted very clearly – 17.4 million people sent a clear message that they wanted to leave the European Union. And that also means leaving the jurisdiction of the European court of justice,” he says.

The CJEU says that it would be inconsistent with EU treaties if it forced a member to leave. Even after a referendum that stated the opposite.