A Tory councillor has started a petition to make treasonable the act of opposing Brexit.
Christian Holliday, member of the Guildford Conservative Association, is presumably so incensed by Remainers he is effectively seeking for them to face life imprisonment, the maximum sentence for the offence.
The petition reads:
Amend the Treason Felony Act to make supporting UK membership of the EU a crime.
The Treason Felony Act be amended to include the following offences:
- ‘To imagine, devise, promote, work, or encourage others, to support UK becoming a member of the European Union;
- To conspire with foreign powers to make the UK, or part of the UK, become a member of the EU.’
Guildford residents voted to Remain in the EU by 56%.
Unsurprisingly, a (now-deleted) tweet from Holliday promoting his campaign has been met largely with ridicule.
So far the petition has 1,206 supporters.
The term “Bremoaners” has entered common parlance since the EU referendum to describe Remain voters displeased with the result.
Last week both the Daily Mail and Daily Express ran front pages claiming they are unpatriotic and need to hold their tongue
The front page of Wednesday’s Daily Mail was dominated by a comment headline branding Remain voters “unpatriotic” by engaging in a “plot to subvert the will of the British people”.
Holliday has previously addressed the issue in an interview with the Guildford Dragon in which he said: “... there is no doubt that among the 48% of people who voted Remain, there are some genuine Euro Federalist sympathisers – people who genuinely and wholeheartedly believe in a United States of Europe, the ending of nation states and that Britain should be part of this.
“To them I say you must move on and accept that it is not, and never was, our destiny. If you can’t accept that, you know where the Channel Tunnel is. Some may find this statement harsh, but questions must be asked of those whose first loyalty is now to a United States of Europe.”
The sentiment has also been echoed in the higher echelons of the Tory party, most recently by MP Stewart Jackson.
Asked if Theresa May supported the view that those who wanted to stay in the EU should be guilty of treason, her official spokeswoman said: “Different people will chose their words differently. The Prime Minister is very clear that the British people have made their decision.”
Treason felony, as outlined in the Treason Felony Act 1848, defines intention to deprive the sovereign of their Crown, levy war against the Crown or incite a foreign force to invade the UK as crimes punishable by up to life imprisonment.
It is separate from the offence of high treason which covers amongst others, such crimes as plotting to kill the sovereign, their wife or heir.
Both offences were punishable by death until the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 became law.
The last person to be tried for treason in the UK was William Joyce, more commonly known as Lord Haw-Haw.
During World War 2 Joyce voiced a German propaganda radio broadcast using an upper-class English accent in an attempt to demoralise the British public.
He was captured in May 1945 after being shot in the buttocks, resulting in four wounds from one bullet.
He was tried, found guilty and hanged on 3 January 1946 at Wandsworth Prison aged 39.
“In death as in life, I defy the Jews who caused this last war, and I defy the power of darkness which they represent. I warn the British people against the crushing imperialism of the Soviet Union.
“May Britain be great once again and in the hour of the greatest danger in the West may the standard be raised from the dust, crowned with the words – “You have conquered nevertheless”.
“I am proud to die for my ideals and I am sorry for the sons of Britain who have died without knowing why.”
Holliday has been approached for comment.