What would you do if we decided not to leave the EU?

As I have said before, the referendum was wrong in all its aspects: the basic principle of referenda vs parliamentary democracy; the reasons for it happening at all (DC's political aims); the absence of parameters (e.g. min. turnout, min.margin); but above all else because no-one (on any side of the argument) had the remotest idea what they were voting for or against, because absolutely no-one knew what deal was on the table. So we were asked to make a decision about something that did not even exist! Disgraceful!

Except that those who voted to remain knew what they were voting for, the status quo. It was the Brexiteers that made promises they could not keep.

Welshwife, there were lies on BOTH sides. The campaign of fear waged by Osborne was disgraceful.
Democracy means living with the decision of the majority and 51.9% of those who voted wanted out. You might bear in mind that Mrs May only won 42.4% of those who voted recently yet we have to accept that she will form a government.

There's more to democracy than putting a cross in a box.

Osborne wasn't far wrong. The economy is in a bad way and getting worse.

Those who voted Leave didn't even agree what the were voting for.

Can't be bothered to argue, but I shall be very happy if the whole farce is abandoned.

The EU isn't perfect, but it's better than the alternative.

I wish there was a way that the EU could disband, consider and start again. I voted out because the whole Leviathan is too big, cumbersome and badly run. Too much power is in the hands of one or two countries while the rest are struggling on in comparative poverty with their young leaving in droves to wait on those richer countries living in conditions that our young turn their noses up at. Yes, as one of the rich, we probably would be better off in the EU but I don't particularly care for the inequality within it and the way a couple of countries are taking more and more power. I'm all in favour of a common market but not the full integration Germany and France want.

Having said that, when I voted I was just as surprised at the result as Mr Cameron. So, I shan't do anything when we fail to leave as I fully expect not to. If we do theoretically exit, it'll be so soft that it'll make no difference whatsoever our lives except that we'll have less influence than before. But that was increasingly happening anyway. As my father said many years ago. Germany is winning the war by the back door.

NannaandGrampy I could not agree more. I'm proud to say I voted to leave EU.

If we make some sort of U turn then what was the point of the referendum in the first place? I voted to stay and would do so again, but we surely have to accept that the majority voted to leave. Leaving was always going to prove difficult and to be fair (if we can be) does anyone really think that they could have done better? Were the rest of the EU ever going to go all soft and agree to everything we asked for. They were always going to make it as difficult as possible for us as deep down they fear our success and worry that others may want to follow our lead. One thing for surem the EU bigwigs will be rubbing their hands together in glee at the way this country is going at the minute.

Who is this 'we' in the thread title? Given that a majority voted out (and, according to some polls, still want out), I'm finding it hard to come up with a definition of the 'we' in question.‪

I fear they have us where they want us and will take full advantage. It's going to cost us to leave and cost even more to stay. We've lost big time.

Some people I know who voted to leave, are even more determined to leave than ever and despite the way things are going would vote leave again. I suppose it's a case of "how dare you, think you can treat us like this" .

Yes, gillybob. The attitude that the EU elite (those in charge) is showing now is exactly why people wanted to leave in the first place.

The whole EU thing is starting to remind me of someone trying to get out of an abusive/bad relationship, with the other party making all kinds of threats of what they'll do "if you dare to try and leave me"

No mention of how they will try to change to make you happier, if you stay, just threats of what they will do if you dare leave.

Which personally would make me all the more determined to do so.

I'll be so relieved if we stay. Interesting to note that only NOW (post GE) are we finally starting to have a conversation about what Brexit actually means (as opposed to meaningless twaddle like 'Brexit means Brexit').
The whole debacle has been a vanity project for the Tories. Mayhem refused the Scots a 2nd referendum as 'they wouldn't know what they were voting for' - yet it's clear that there is no consensus on what got voted for on 23rd June last year.
How on earth anyone can make binding a vote for something which they're still trying to decide what it is a year later is beyond me

" The attitude that the EU elite (those in charge) is showing now is exactly why people wanted to leave in the first place." - yes I agree

"The whole debacle has been a vanity project for the Tories." - and again.

The EU is a very very mixed blessing - there are of course advantages to being a part of it - but we had no power within it. Successive PMs struggled to try and turn back the federalist tide and to steer the ship in a less controlling direction and were sent back empty-handed every time.

If a soft Brexit means very little change, but no power to influence decisions, then we will be very little different to now.

The "EU Elite" are resented right across the EU not just in the UK. However,to leave does us no favours. I hope that common sense will prevail in due course and we either get a fair soft Brexit or decide to stay in a reformed EU. The UK is a special case we are generally more than tolerant than many EU countries and also because English is far the most common spoken language in the free world.

The major problems within the UK are down to years of government policy which encourages profit over compassion. Too much socialism is too costly but the lack of social conscience in government is equally damaging. We need a return to 1950's caring conservatism. Both the left and the right have drifted to extremes with little common ground.

What's this got to do with Brexit? Well holistically disenchantment with the Establishment (UK and EU) is the root cause of nearly all our resentment.

I only asked what people would do if it were decided that we didn't leave the EU. Not for a rerun of the Leave/Remain debate.

Yes Baggs, the 'we' in the title refers to all of us. You know, that thing made up of individuals that we call 'society'. Which does exist despite Thatcher denying it. So stop being paranoid about its use in the title.

Despite some of you being resolutely proud and happy about plunging the UK into economic meltdown the polls are showing that a lot of people are changing their minds as reality, in the shape of rising prices and the certainty of job losses, begins to bite.

Many people are arguing that it is wrong to stick rigidly to a decision made a year ago if 'the people' are having serious second thoughts about it.

As far as this thread is concerned it seems that if we do change our minds we needn't worry too much about mobs of rioting grannies on the streets ...

but we had no power within it.

You are joking,of course, luckygirl. We were a major player. Who was the instigator of the Single Market? Maggie Thatcher; she didn't care much for the EU but she knew which side our bread was buttered when it came to trade and accessible markets.
How do you think we got all those concessions? No euro, no Schengen?

Thank you for clarifying how you are using the term 'we' in the title, maizie. However, we (all of us) never all decide the same thing about any issues, so I was wondering if you had another vote in mind, or some other way of us (me, for instance) knowing how 'we' had come to the decision to not leave the EU.

On a personal level, my answer to the question posed in the thread title, is "Shrug and move on". Then I'd carry on following news and media comment on the whole business.

I would be so relieved that the UK had come to its senses, and decided not to give up all the benefits of being an important member of the world's greatest trading group. If only we could keep all the advantages we have now, including our rebate, without being in the euro or schengen. If only our children and grandchildren could continue to enjoy all the benefits many of us have taken for granted. If only...

If only indeed varian. [sigh]

In answer to the original question, I would certainly grumble, - it's a democratic process and we have to see it through. Then I would march. (I don't have it in me to actually riot!). I voted to leave, and I am fed up with all the endless whinging from remainers. And all this rubbish talk about hard Brexit, soft Brexit, and we didn't know what we were voting for, etc. Yes we did! Simply to leave the EU. That is what the majority voted for.
I know this will bring down a load of criticism on me from some people on here, but I don't care. I decided, just for once, to stick my head above the parapet. I think it's the hot weather, it doesn't suit me!

It was your peroration to vote to leave the EU - I hope you will be very happy as you see the results of those votes and the exiting which is now going on.

I don't know what I'd do - probably nothing - and I don't know how I'd feel. I think I would feel confused and undecided about where I stood.

I voted to remain because I wanted to retain the protections that the EU afforded (consumer, employment, environment, health & safety, human rights etc.), although I did have many misgivings about its size and accountability. I still feel we should have stayed in and tried to form alliances to reform the whole structure and make it more accountable.

In some ways, I would find it attractive if the people were given a chance to re-consider their decision but I fear it would end up with the same sort of lies and hysteria that were found in both sides of the original campaign - and it would cause even greater divisions between people. I think I might also have an uncomfortable feeling that if the country had voted to stay there would be no question of there being a re-run.

Hear, hear! Well said, eloethan. I agree with all of that except the bit about worker protections. People being given zero hours contracts have no protection.