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

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

Don't you think that the past year has clarified an awful lot and that voters now have a better picture of what Leave will look like?

Craicon: We are its biggest market. Yes, I do understand economics. They have a lot to lose on trade and businesses over there do not want to lose any sales especially as they are still struggling to recover from their economic problems.

You do not seem to understand the difference between the name Brexit and the negotiations involved. Brexit cannot fail but negotiations can. However we are leaving the EU whatever you wish for and I hope you are wishing for us to achieve successful negotiations.

Maizie I agree that most of what has happened since the result of the vote appears to support the remainers' view - discord and indecision between various parties regarding the stance that should be taken when negotiating our exit, increased inflation, increased personal debt, the acceleration of the decrease in living standards, a major impact on recruitment of public service staff and people with specialist skills, such as scientists, etc. And the issue regarding health and safety seems even more vital at the moment.

Perhaps if these problems became even greater, more people would start to consider whether leaving is a good idea but unless there is an obvious groundswell of opinion demanding that the final deal be put before the people, I can't see how things can be changed without causing major bad feeling.

baggs I suppose some people might argue that the increasing use of zero hours contracts occurred as a method of circumventing the measures brought in by the EU to improve the conditions for workers. The problem is always that some employers are ruthless in protecting and increasing their profits and every effort will be made to avoid increased labour costs, particularly in the UK where the employer/employee relationship is still a very unequal and distrustful one.

As you can see, I am very torn about the whole subject.

We are its biggest market

I'm sure you have this slightly skewed, CardiffJaguar.

We import more from the EU than we export to them in monetary terms but EU sales to the UK are only 16% of their market. Whereas the EU comprises 40+% of the UK's market. 16% doesn't look like their biggest market to me.

A small number of EU countries do a lot of trade with us but taken across the 27 the picture looks considerably different. One of the 'small number' is Germany, who don't look to me as though it has a struggling economy...

Eloethan I think the time is past to worry about major bad feeling. That started on 24th June 2016 and will never, IMO, be resolved.

Much as I loathe the idea of a rerun and agree with many posters here incl eloethan and baggs l am beginning to consider that a 2nd referendum might just be feasible.
France and Germany saying, as negotiations start, that it's not too late.

I hate the shambles we're now stuck in and can't see that things could be much more shambolic!

If another referendum is held and the result is the same then it is conclusively the time to put up and shut up.
If however it's correct that many have changed their minds in the light of government chaos and the emergence of blatant lies then we might have a different result.

Yes it will cost money (and frustration) but better to deal with the fallout now than leave it to our children and grandchildren to grapple indefinitely with the inevitable problems!

Perhaps you're right Maizie and mcem. The advantage of having another referendum is that, hopefully, young people - having now realised the importance of their votes - may swing the vote to stay in. After all, it is they and their children who will be most affected because they will be here longer than we will.

Cheer loudly

What, no party, lovingit?

And they were the ones who didn't vote, yet blamed the oldies for taking them out.
They must have learnt their lesson now, Eloethan.

I hope they have durhamjen.

On a personal level I would rejoice that the huge cloud of uncertainty and worry that has hung over us for a year, would lift. I don't doubt that we will continue to be allowed to live in our home here in France, but the financial impact of the fallen pound will not go away, unless things change considerably.
I would also rejoice in the fact that the UK would no longer have to undertake this complicated, lengthy, bureacratic, hugely expensive process which will leave its economy far worse off for the foreseeable future and mean that my grandchildren will not have the same rights that we have had, to work and live in the EU.
I would be glad that the UK government and civil service would be able to concentrate on issues such as climate change, terrorism, poverty, housing, health, education and the economy instead of having to spend its time undoing 43 years of legislation and chasing new trade deals.
I would see it as the triumph of common sense and a rejection of decisions based on unsubstatiated rhetoric and ill-founded ideologies.

I would grumble because I voted leave and Mr. S. would cheer because he voted to remain. I'd think about all the brave men and women who gave their lives in two world wars so that we could live in a democracy and wonder if they'd think their ultimate sacrifice had been in vain.

There was a referendum and the majority who voted, voted to leave.

I've previously on other Brexit threads given my reasons for voting to leave so wont reiterate here. I used my common sense and did not base my decision "on unsubstantiated rhetoric and ill-founded ideologies" Mamie.

As for younger voters "having now realised the importance of their votes may swing the vote to stay in" Elothean you may well be right, but if they couldn't be bothered to vote the first time around, I don't see why they should be given another bite at the cherry.

I think quite a few of the youngster thought people would not be that daft!

hilda I think that is areal issue just as this election showed. Our young are definately becoming more politicised and have been so since the referendum and the realisation that their country is changing beyond anything they remotely want.

Excellent post Smileless ??
Me too!

We have a general election every 5 years ( or less) acknowledging that people change their minds based on changing circumstances. This is why the referendum was such a ridiculous idea in the first place.

Bund makes it more than clear how dreadful the decision was to hold the referendum and the doomsday result

Younger people have known nothing other than being in the EU, have had the freedom to study and work overseas, are, in general, less inward looking than older people and have fewer concerns about foreigners and immigration. I suspect - as Hilda says - many of them couldn't imagine that enough people would actually vote to change a situation which to them was perfectly normal and acceptable.

You sum it up so well Hilda.

Celebrate

I'm still hoping we get a vote on the final deal. If we end up staying in the EU, I would ring all my family because I know we'd all be chuffed to bits. It would cheer me up big time.

I wouldn't gloat around a couple of my close friends though, because I know they voted to leave. That said, if we get a vote on the final deal they might vote to stay. I doubt it though because I know immigration was the main reason for voting to leave.

Don't forget that approximately 750,000 current 18 year olds were too young to vote in the referendum. If a second referendum is held in two years, there will be approximately another 1.5 million, in addition to those who were 18 in 2016 and would appear to have voted in the last election. 18-24 year olds are overwhelmingly in favour of Remain. It doesn't need anybody to have changed their mind to produce a different result.

Getting out of a defunct club has no bearing whatsover on how I feel about our neighbouring countries. Stop being such dramatists. Most of these countries will be out soon too. The EU will crumble and we will be able to forge a no strings healthier relationship with Europe and beyond.

In your dreams!

No, not dreaming daf, maybe you still are though