Presenters Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway returned to Good Morning Britain today alongside news reporter Charlotte Hawkins for the latest edition of the ITV programme.
Appearing via video link, Jo was eager to put her point across after being made the new leader of the Liberal Democrat party, and all her attentions have turned to Brexit.
“I totally accept that there are differences of opinion and strong views on this issue,” she began. “And I’m standing up for what I believe is right, for what I think is the UK’s best future, which is within the European Union.
“I’m not going to stop arguing for what I believe in.”
“And I think what we’re proposing here is fundamentally a democratic exercise,” the party member continued. “It is to have a peoples’ vote on the specific Brexit deal, because there was no specific Brexit deal in 2016.
“‘Brexit means Brexit’ was the meaningless phrase that we heard in the aftermath of the referendum and even now, three years on, the Brexiteers can’t agree on what Brexit means.”
Swinson’s claims were founded on the idea the people voting on whether to remain or leave the European Union in 2016 didn’t really “know” what they were voting for – as it was very early in the process.
Former Prime Minister Theresa May didn’t begin negotiating with the EU until after the vote was revealed.
“I don’t have any confidence that the majority in the United Kingdom [are] for any specific form of Brexit,” the guest went on.
“You’ve got people who say they couldn’t possibly have Theresa May’s deal they’d rather stay in the EU. And you’ve got others who say they don’t want a hard or no deal Brexit.
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“So if we don’t have confidence that there’s a majority for any specific Brexit, how could we possibly go ahead with that course of action without checking with the British people first?” Swinson added.
Taking to Twitter however, viewers shared their feelings over the politician’s comments, with many confused and insisting they did know what they were voting for.
“Who voted in 2016? Weren’t they people then???” one frustrated person asked.
Another offered: “We had a people’s vote, it’s just that people like this woman only want democracy as long as any result suits them.”
“Your opinion is meaningless and goes against the democratic will of everyone in the UK,” a third slammed. “Losers of a referendum must accept the majority view or we lose democracy – that which holds this country together.”
A fourth accused: “Why would she respect the result of another vote, she doesn’t respect the last one. Why can’t she just be honest and say she wants to stay in the EU Empire.”
“The people already voted we voted Brexit so get over it and get on with it,” a fifth ordered.
And another exclaimed: “It’s not about what YOU want or what YOU think is best…..It’s what the COUNTRY voted for!”
“We already had a people’s vote, we leave end of. I wasn’t lied to I knew what I was voting for,” one viewer added.
Good Morning Britain continues weekdays at 6am on ITV.
