Head to Head

No-deal Brexit: Destiny or disaster?

Richard Tice, chair of the Brexit Party, on why he wants the UK to break away from the European Union with no deal.

Editor’s note: Since the recording of this show on September 30, 2019, Rachel Warby has been deselected and is no longer the prospective parliamentary candidate for the Brexit Party.

In this episode of Head to Head, Mehdi Hasan challenges businessman-turned-politician Richard Tice, the chair of the United Kingdom’s Brexit Party, on his campaign for a “no deal” or “clean” exit from the European Union.

In addition to being elected as a member of the European Parliament (MEP) in May 2019, Tice cofounded the successful pro-Brexit campaign Leave.EU before the June 2016 referendum. He went on to fund the Leave Means Leave campaign immediately after the vote.

Tice dismisses official warnings about the impact of a “no-deal” Brexit on the UK’s economy and believes that sovereignty is paramount, adding: “We get back our sovereignty from the European Union, back to Parliament, and back to the people. So that is, you know, that is something that is absolutely priceless, we must achieve that.”

Hasan and Tice are joined by a panel of three experts:

  • Graham Gudgin – a pro-Brexit economist at Cambridge University and chief economic adviser at the conservative think-tank, Policy Exchange
  • Jonathan Lis – the deputy director for the pro-Europe think-tank, British Influence
  • Ash Sarkar – a senior editor at the progressive online media outlet, Novara Media

After the recording at the Oxford Union, Tice said: “The ultimate challenge is both to survive and enjoy an hour of intense Head to Head with Mehdi Hasan. It sharpens you up and keeps you on your toes. I loved it!” (October 1, 2019)

No-deal Brexit: Destiny or disaster? with Richard Tice first broadcast on October 11, 2019, at 20:00 GMT and repeat telecasts on October 12 at 12:00GMT, October 13 at 01:00 GMT, and October 14 at 06:00 GMT.

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Head to Head is Al Jazeera’s forum for ideas, a gladiatorial contest tackling big issues, such as faith, nationalism, democracy and foreign intervention.