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On The Brink Of A No-Deal Brexit: The Town Hall Debate

Britain is now facing one of the biggest constitutional crises in its history, As Brexit looms, Intelligence Squared will be staging a special town hall meeting with some of the country’s most prominent political leaders.

When will this madness end? Britain is now facing one of the biggest constitutional crises in its history, as our political system remains deadlocked over the most important issue of our times: Brexit. Two and a half years after the referendum, our parliamentarians have failed to reach a consensus on what should happen next. Nobody – Leaver or Remainer – is happy.

As our exit date of March 29th looms, Intelligence Squared will be staging a special town hall meeting with some of the country’s most prominent political leaders and Brexit experts. You’ll be able to put your questions directly to senior politicians including Kenneth Clarke, Jess Phillips, Anand Menon, Douglas Carswell and Ian Paisley Jr. Don’t let the politicians get away with obfuscation and slippery answers – this is your chance to put them on the spot.

Does Theresa May stand a chance of pushing her Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament a second time around? Should we start stocking up on food and medicine, in case we crash out of the EU without a deal? Should we have another referendum (in the hope of staying in), or is this likely to provoke civil unrest amongst Brexiteers who argue that they’ve already given their vote? Should the government try to extend Article 50? And is there any hope for a cross-party compromise on Brexit, so that we can resolve this issue and move on?

Join us on March 7th, make your voice heard and make up your mind.


Speakers

Speakers

Douglas Carswell

Former Conservative MP and UKIP MP


Former Conservative MP who in 2014 became the first elected Member of Parliament for UKIP, before quitting the party and sitting in Parliament as an independent until the 2017 general election. He is credited with being one of the main figures behind the Vote Leave campaign.

Kenneth Clarke

Former Conservative chancellor of the exchequer and parliament’s longest-serving MP


Former chancellor under John Major who has also served in various Conservative governments as home secretary, Lord Chancellor and justice secretary, education secretary and health secretary. He has represented the constituency of Rushcliffe since 1970. A staunch Remainer, he was the sole Conservative MP to vote against article 50. He has written numerous books, and his memoir, A Day Like Today, was published in October 2019.

Anand Menon

Director of UK in a Changing Europe


Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King’s College London, and Director of UK in a Changing Europe, an authoritative, non-partisan initiative researching the complex relationship between the UK and the European Union.

Ian Paisley Jr

MP for North Antrim for the Democratic Unionist Party


Member of Parliament for North Antrim for the Democratic Unionist Party. He is the youngest son of the DUP's founder Ian Paisley.

Jess Phillips

Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley


Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley. She has been hailed by JK Rowling as ‘a heroine’, for her pronouncements in the House of Commons. She is the author of the books Everywoman: One Woman’s Truth About Speaking the Truth and Truth to Power: 7 Ways to Call Time on B.S.
Chair

Jonathan Freedland

Guardian columnist, author and broadcaster


Guardian columnist and former foreign correspondent. He is the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s contemporary history series, The Long View, as well as two podcasts, Politics Weekly America for the Guardian and Unholy, alongside the Israeli journalist Yonit Levi. He is a past winner of an Orwell Prize for journalism. He is the author of twelve books, the latest being The Escape Artist: The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Warn the World.

 

Speakers are subject to change.