Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp: 'Brexit Still Makes No Sense'
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has claimed that Britain leaving the European Union 'still makes no sense' and has suggested that the voting public should have the chance to go to the polls again to change their minds, after misleading campaigning and a split result that was virtually 50/50.
The infamous 52-48 'Brexit' vote happened almost two years ago and it remains the hottest topic on the country's political agenda. According to Klopp, it has been handled poorly from the start.
"When Mr. Cameron had the idea [of a referendum] you thought: 'This is not something people should decide in a moment'," the Liverpool boss, who takes a keen interest in politics and is a big fan of German chancellor Angela Merkel, told The Guardian in an extensive interview.
"We are all influenced by the way only some of the argument is given, and once the decision is taken nobody gives you a real opportunity to change it again. The choice was either you stay in Europe, which is not perfect, or you go out into something nobody has any idea how it will work," he added.
While the 'Leave' campaign spouted nonsensical rhetoric about taking back sovereignty that was never lost, reverting to 'iconic' blue passports that could have happened at any time, and returning to vague notions of 'the good old days', the 'Remain' side feared impending economic suicide.
Almost as soon as the result was confirmed, the grand 'promises' of putting £350m per week back into the country's National Health Service were being taken back by prominent 'Brexiteers', who had also preyed on fears over immigration to swing the vote.
Since the vote, Britain has been a fractured and divided country. Even many of those who voted 'Leave' and still stand by their original decision have little or no faith in the political leaders to plan and execute such enormous and crucial change.
"You give people the chance to make this big decision. And then it's a 51-49 [51.9%-48.1%] vote and you're thinking: 'Wow, 49% are not happy with the decision that's going to change the country.' For the 51%, I'm sure they realized pretty early after the vote: 'What have we done?'" Klopp continued.
"The two leaders of the Leave campaign then stepped aside. It was a pure sign they were surprised themselves by the vote.
"Let's think about it again and let's vote again with the right information - not with the information you've got around the Brexit campaign. They were obviously not right, not all of them. It makes no sense at all.
"The EU is not perfect but it was the best idea we had. History has always shown that when we stay together we can sort out problems. When we split then we start fighting. There was not one time in history where division creates success. So, for me, Brexit still makes no sense."
