Leavers referendum

A lot of Leavers say they expected that we would leave immediately after the referendum. This I don't understand. If you knew why you wanted to leave the EU, you must have known about all the links that had to be sorted. Links like security, science, police, international regulations re aircraft or shipping, universities, getting rid of EU citizens and importing non-EU workers. I could go on and on. It was always going to take a time to unravel.

After the last couple of years I have got to the stage where I feel I no longer want to vote in elections as I have completely lost faith in the MPs and government

MaizieD I agree with you.

The referendum was a mistake. I’m inclined to think that referenda are undemocratic. We are supposed to have a democracy, enacted by elected representatives. It is them who are supposed to acquaint themselves with the finer details of the issues involved. But the government decided to trash that system of democracy and let us all have a say. But we – the electorate – are generally not expected to know all the ins and outs of this issue; although we could be if we had the time and the inclination to study it all. So the government adopted a sloping shoulders stance. And, don’t forget, they never really thought the country would vote to leave the EU anyway. Perhaps the monarch should step in ….. !!

Absolutely agree with Ginny42.

We have a Parliamentary democracy in the UK; we are not governed by referendum(s).

The 2016 referendum was a mistake and has caused endless division. Another one will be plagued again by lies on social media - this time different lies.

Leavers obviously fear that another referendum would bring a different result because they know that many Leavers have died off. Plunger -no-one can predict the result of another because many people may have changed their minds.

We have been badly let down by our inept politicians. The leaders of the two main parties are useless. Theresa May should have brought in other parties at the outset to find an agreement that could get parliamentary approval when she had such no real majority after the 2017 election. But like so many politicians she likes absolute control and secrecy and hates transparency and accountability.

Someone new needs to take over. Perhaps a General Election would bring forward someone new who knows how to lead such a divided country.

123coco

I agree.

As I see it, people changing their minds based on how the European Eunion has supposedly treated us just proves yet again how easily fooled people are by biased, very misleading media soundbites.
In reality, I think that the rest of the EU leaders have been very restrained in their comments, unlike some of our political figures towards them!

If remain had won by a tiny margin, Farage and the eurosceptics would still be banging on about another referendum that’s for certain.

People voted to leave because they were promised all sorts of things that were never going to happen, it was a vile, dirty and lying campaign and in any other profession those people would have been sacked, ...Boris.
People now realise the horrendous mistake they have made and should be given the chance to have their say, no good leaving it to the politicians they are inept, incapable and our reputation in the world has been shot to pieces, we are a laughing stock. After this debacle would you trust these privileged prats to make our laws and run this country, I would much sooner have the EU in charge.

I see a lot of talk in various places and also sometimes the media about "reuniting the nation" and "healing wounds" and "moving on from division" and suchlike.

I don't see how this is going to happen.

I think beyond the basic issue of EU membership, the pre and post referendum discussion has exposed and entrenched serious fault lines in the UK around nationality, class, age and many other serious issues that are not going to close for many, many years, if at all.

I see absolutely no reason to believe that the 29th of March or other such appointed day will come, and then the day after everyone will act like the last two and a half years have not taken place.

Purely from my own observations, the Brexit process has exposed and deepened cultural faultlines that were rarely if ever discussed in the national conversation. I don't feel that genie will go back in the bottle.

I think the ongoing effect on party politics in this country will be seismic. I am of the fabled millennial generation, and the view I see continually expressed amongst my cohort, including amongst Conservative voters and members, is that they will never vote Tory again.

I have also for the first time seen widespread enthusiasm for cuts to, or indeed abolition of, the state pension, and cuts to services for older people. There is a huge perception that it was over 65s who voted Leave.

I do not understand how "coming together and reuniting" is supposed to happen, and I am interested in the views of those who think it will happen as to how that will be done.

Don't be sick to death of it. Stay focused whatever your view. This is too important to be fed up with it.

I'm with you SillyNanny321!
I'm sick to death of anything Brexit now. Just get on & flaming do it!

First of all, Cameron should never have used a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU to keep the Tory right wing under control.

Having decided on a Referendum there should have been a 60%/40% voting base, giving a clear majority to the winner. This dilemma was always going to happen with such a narrow margin. So many millions of people now feeling disenfranchised was bound to lead to this debacle. Those feelings of being ignored run very deep and will be felt for years.

All lies should have been exposed and perpetrators tried for deliberately seeking to mislead the public on a massive scale.

I don't think the "youngsters" would bother to vote - just like the majority of them didn't bother last time.

Plunger : 'Why do remainers think leavers have changed their minds'

Maizie has explained that very well a few posts above - most leavers in our generation at least, have not changed their mind. Many have probably become more entrenched - but the demographics have changed- and the younger people will remember it is important to get out of bed and go and vote- and many were not able to vote then, but can now.

With such a tiny majority- demographics alone have overturned it.

No-one is asking for a 3rd - just a first vote on the current situtation, with the necessary information to make an informed choice, and without the fraud and lies. Simples.

I voted to remain and totally stick by that. Yet I'm torn about a further referendum. Listening to some who vote to leave, many don't seem to have changed their minds. My concern regarding a further vote is that I suspect there may be a very close margin again. What do we do if the vote is close again with similar numbers to the first vote, but on the side of remaining this time? I think that would take things from bad to worse and divide the country even further. And extend the uncertainty. But I'm absolutely lost as to what the solution is and I consider myself pretty genned up on the issue.

coco completely agree - WE were the ones who wanted to leave, why should the EU bend over backwards to facilitate it?

Imagine that remainers had won, now imagine how you would feel if the leavers kept on and on about having a second referendum, not too happy I guess. You can't keep "tossing the dice" until you get the result you want! Can we just give it a rest, no point keep harping on about it with made up "true" facts.

Plunger I can’t see how they have treated us with contempt at all !!! The other member states are playing by the rules. We wanted the divorce we knew what the cost was going to be and we wanted it anyway Why should 27 other countries lose out because we wanted to leave ??? Be really interested in your answer to that It’s like joining a golf course or something knowing when you signed up what all the rules were and all the costs and then wanting everybody else to make allowances when you want to leave and then be out of pocket Why would anyone do that But in the case of a no Deal or whatever I expect leavers to be willing to cough up for the increase price rises et cetera I’m more embarrassed to be British day by day Along with America we are now the laughing stock of the world

A Confirming Referendum would then set an almighty precedent for future Confirming General Elections, surely?

Where would it all end?

Compared to Mumsnet brexit hardly gets a mention on GN. There are plenty of other forums for folk that don't want to discuss it. Just remember though that unless Article 50 is revoked you will be probably be hearing about brexit for the rest of your life. The withdrawal agreement is only the beginning, not the end.

Actually many young voters I’ve seen on TV - SKY in town centres and BBC QT - would vote Leave!

Amazing how Leavers choose to ignore the fact that it was only an Advisory referendum!! How. Many of you can honestly say you knew about the customs union, the single market and the Irish border? I really didn’t think you did. And for those people who it was all about immigration , only a little over 70,000 EU people have left UK (. So who’s going to pick your asparagus in the next few weeks ?) and 135,000 non-EU people have entered the UK ! Well done Mrs May !! A strong and stable government, ha ha ! In all truth nobody can say they knew what they were voting for , it was a binary choice with a ridiculously narrow margin which most referendums don’t have . Even that pillock Farage said it had to be bigger than 48-52 or he would want another referendum. Plus I keep hearing leavers are saying There will be violence on the streets if it doesn’t happen . I’ve yet to hear Remainets say anything like that! Democracy means having the right to change your mind otherwise it’s a dictatorship Plus there are 66 million people !! 17 million hardly a mandate And looking at the country and hate crimes and the chaos etc can anyone really say it’s been worth it, not to mention the money !! Yes there is people who want to leave at any cost will say that !! It should never happened. It was only ever an internal Tory problem ! David Cameron should be shot !

Why do remainers think leavers have changed their minds? I voted to leave as did spouse but 3 siblings were staunch remainers. I would still vote to leave as would my spouse but my 3 siblings are for leaving having seen how the EU have treated the UK with utter contempt. Can anyone tell my one single compromise they have made? All one sided !

Very clever Granny23 just put one option to Leave and one to Remain though. It’s disingenuous to split the Leave vote!!

Don’t see why there should not be another one, as now we all no so much more, TM is getting 3 chances on her question