The identity of the person who originates an online petition is not too significant. It's worth remembering that the biggest ever online petition in the UK back in 2016 was set up before the referendum was held. It called for a second referendum to give people a chance to think again, if the winning side failed to reach 60% in a turnout of 75%.

The petition got 4,150,260, even more than the Revoke Article 50 one (though with 3,885,883 already this could easily get more before it's through.

And the person who originated it? A leaver, one Oliver Healey. He set it up before the vote, on the assumption that the Brexit option would be rejected the first time through. In the event of course Leave left, though with only 52% of a turn out of only 72%. He complained that the petition had been hijacked after the referendum by leave voters, who shared what on the face of it was Mr Healey's understanding of how democracy should work.