It’s been a tumultuous ride for British politics of late. No sooner was Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty triggered, initiating Britain's formal departure from the E.U. on March 29, than Prime Minister Theresa May announced a snap General Election to take place June 8 in order to show certainty, stability and strong leadership would be capable of carrying out Brexit.

Now, with Article 50 activated and the people of Britain heading to polling stations once again to vote for who they want to lead the country, emotions are running higher than ever. Among the soaring Brexit sentiments there is a general accord that the people of Great Britain should be involved in the Brexit negotiations, rather than leaving it to a handful of Parliamentary elites in a boardroom in Westminster.

This is the crux of 38 Degrees' DIY Brexit aimed at crowd-sourcing a “People-powered vision for Brexit.” An organization that works independently from any political party and is funded by individual donations from members, 38 Degrees believes democracy is more effective, quite simply, when more people are involved in it.

The group is striving to create a Brexit that works for everyone, plays a positive role in the world, protects the NHS and the environment, creates and maintains jobs, and helps the most vulnerable. The DIY Brexit movement is campaigning for a more progressive, people-powered Brexit, which aims to unite people instead of driving them apart, regardless of how they voted in last year's E.U. Referendum.

Since the June 23 vote that swung, albeit marginally, on the side of the Leave camp, 38 Degrees members have themselves been voting on how Britain should move forward in the wake of Brexit. Over 8 million votes, cast by hundreds of thousands of members, have been addressing different ideas surrounding Brexit.

Article 50, which gives E.U. members the right to leave the Union unilaterally and sketches the framework for doing so, also allows an exiting country two years to negotiate an exit deal. Once triggered, the Article 50 process cannot be stopped unless by consent by every E.U. member state.

Prior to the signing of the Treaty of Lisbon in 2007, which aimed to make the E.U. more “democratic, more transparent and more efficient,” there was no way for a nation to legally leave the E.U. No country has left the European Union before, but during the next two years, the U.K. will be mapping out how to do just that. The deal can be prohibited by the European Parliament and must be approved by a “qualified majority” of E.U. member states.

No Blind Date on Brexit

Since Theresa May triggered Article 50 last month, fresh angst about Britain’s future has been escalating, particularly by many who voted for Britain to remain in the E.U. during the historic referendum. That angst was poignantly displayed in London, as May addressed the House of Commons while hundreds of anti-Brexit protestors draped in E.U. flags marched outside Parliament. The people carried democracy-hailing plaques with messages such as: "Are You Afraid of Democracy? People Want A Real Say On Final Brexit Deal!" and "No Blind Date On Brexit."

As politicians remain seemingly unable to put together a solid, progressive plan for Brexit, 38 Degrees is now dedicated to making it happen. The campaign aims to unify, rather than create division. Its members, concerned with how the Brexit is going to unfold and impact the lives of people in Britain, are actively involved meeting MPs to discuss issues like keeping E.U. protections including employment rights, public spending and human rights, protecting homes and jobs if the economy weakens under Brexit, and campaigning to make sure politicians keep their pre-Brexit promises.

Across the U.K., 38 Degrees Members are Meeting Local MPs to Discuss a People-Powered Vision for Leaving the E.U.

On the evening of April 7, I and three other 38 Degrees Brexit members met with Andrew Bingham, a Conservative MP for the High Peak constituency in Derbyshire in the North West of England. Bingham had voted to leave the E.U. in the June 2016 Referendum.

Overall in Derbyshire, 59.1% voted to leave and 40.9% voted to remain. The High Peak area was the closest vote in the county, with an extremely marginal 50.5% voting to leave.

During the hour-long meeting, Bingham answered questions brought up by the High Peak constituents and discussed a number of important Brexit issues including immigration, trade, equality and the NHS. Yvonne Ripley, who attended the meeting, said, “I think it’s important that people away from political cliques and Westminster and financial bubbles are involved in Brexit because it is absolutely essential that those negotiating, or in a position to influence negotiations, keep focused on the big picture: the impact that the decisions will have on people’s lives. Governments play God with people’s lives and they need to remember this.”

She added that by attending the meeting, she now realizes just how much is still unknown about Brexit.

Resident Felicity Dobson, who was also in attendance, said she was pleased she had the opportunity to talk to Bingham and other 38 Degrees members face-to-face. “It’s very important everyday people are involved in Brexit because everyone is affected. I felt I should make an effort to find out more about the process and put my point across to my MP, as well as hear what other had to say,” Dobson said.

38 Degrees and its members might be doing resoundingly well in uniting constituents with MPs and giving everyday people of Britain a voice in Brexit negotiation concerns and objectives. At the same time, the announcement of a snap General Election to iron out divisions at Westminster and allow voters to put their trust in government to deliver a good result from Brexit has, for some, provoked further bewilderment and uncertainty.

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