Advertisement

Cogent argument for second Brexit referendum, says Michael Bloomberg

Michael Bloomberg has said there is a “cogent argument” for a second Brexit referendum

The former mayor of New York, who is reportedly considering a run for US president, said he believed the outcome would be different following a second vote because people had not been properly informed the first time.

He told a London press conference “I do think that exiting the EU is bad for the world, I don’t think it’s good for Europe and I certainly don’t think it’s good for the UK.”

He added: “I think the UK would be best staying in and it’s not for me to tell the Government what to do, but you could make a very cogent argument for another referendum given that people probably did not understand the first time what they were voting for.

“You can blame them for it, maybe they should have found out, but I don’t think most did and I think now, if you have another referendum, the outcome would be very different.”

The businessman joked that he had chosen a “slow news week” to visit London for the unveiling of a public art installation highlighting the impact of climate change.

He was speaking at the launch of the two-part project, Ice Watch by Olafur Eliasson, consisting of 24 blocks of ice outside Tate Modern and six blocks in the City, outside Bloomberg European headquarters.

Mr Bloomberg said: “I am a big believer in the power of public art to energise cities – public art really helps start conversation and reminds us to think of what is possible and what is different and how we can evolve.

“One of the first things we did after getting into office after 2002 was to have The Gates (an art installation) in Central Park, which was just phenomenal for New York City, reeling after 9/11, and it just goes to show that public art can really make a difference and people can come together.”