Opposing Brexit should be made an act of ‘treason’ punishable by life in prison, Tory councillor says in petition

Asked about the petition, Prime Minister Theresa May’s official spokeswoman said: “Different people will choose their words differently.

“The Prime Minister has been very clear that the British people have made their decision and we should respect the will of the British people. That’s how she would put it.”

But the Liberal Democrats said that Mrs May should make clear she does not approve of the petition.

“It’s bad enough that a Conservative councillor is trying to shut down any democratic debate about Brexit as treason, but it’s downright frightening that the Prime Minister has so far refused to condemn him,” said Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman Tom Brake.

Explaining his petition, Mr Holliday said: “It is becoming clear that many politicians and others are unwilling to accept the democratic decision of the British people to leave the EU. Brexit must not be put at risk in the years and decades ahead.”

Treason felonies are less serious than high treason, but still carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The Act states that it is a treason felony to “compass, imagine, invent, devise, or intend” to deprive the Queen of her crown, levy war against the Queen, or “move or stir” any foreigner to invade the United Kingdom or any other country belonging to the Queen.

Mr Holliday’s petition got a hostile response from some social media users on Twitter, with one describing it as “more than a little undemocratic” and another saying: “You don’t seem to quite have the hang of this democracy thing.”