And you lost. So, yes, the referendum result should stand and attempting to reverse it is profoundly anti-democratic, it is authoritarian.
That might seem over-optimistic now, but it could be relevant were the Labour party to declare itself for remaining in the EU or rejoining it if the Tories take us out. A sizeable group of Labour MPs is already thinking of voting against the triggering of article 50 when the issue comes to parliament. In the House of Lords Peter Hain is advocating a similar line. That line ought to be taken up by the Labour leadership. If this is considered too radical at this stage, Jeremy Corbyn and the shadow cabinet should at least abstain on the Brexit vote so as to put themselves at a clear distance from the government’s negotiating bandwagon.
For, though it now seems almost heresy to say so, there is nothing sacrosanct about a referendum result. When Labour loses an election, it is normal democratic practice to seek to reverse the result at the next election. Why should a referendum result have more democratic weight than a general election? It is possible to respect the electorate’s decision while at the same time, between now and 2020, use all the political tools of campaigning and argument to change it in due time.
Perhaps, because we do not want to keep having referenda until you arseholes get the “right” result? We, the people were asked. A majority said they wanted to leave and yet, you nasty little fascists want to overturn the result before Article 50 has even been revoked. And as for Labour campaigning on a platform of contempt for a significant proportion of its voter base – well, that’s going to be a sure-fire winner.
On the contrary, the party should campaign to reverse the result if it takes power again. Public support for Brexit is more likely to diminish than increase as Brexit’s costs and job losses become clearer. Labour should be ready to crest this wave and prepare to put reversing the process into its 2020 manifesto.
Can I have some of what you’ve been smoking, please?
We had a vote. The result was “out.” Now grow up and live with it.
Oh those ‘job losses’! They still don’t get it. We are pulling the plug on the crime syndicate. There won’t be an EU to re-enter and the ‘job losses’ will be in Belgium not Britain.
IIRC 85% of the Belgian GDP is related directly or indirectly to the EU.
Oh I forgot. After the 2020 GE the number of Labour MPs will shrink to 127. The rest will be enjoying life on the dole – shame.
If these people get their way, the next referendum will be on Breentry. But one thing is certain, if we did go to the EU asking to be readmitted, the terms on offer would be very different than our current ones. We almost certainly would have to join the Eurozone and would lose other opt outs such as Schengen. Furthermore, the EU would have gone further down the path of integrating into a federal state, unless anti-EU parties have significant electoral success in upcoming elections. The EU would look even less attractive in 5 or so years time than it does now to freedom loving people.
But even if that scenario were to happen, the Guardian & the Civil Service would STILL be pushing for re-entry, having their own agenda…
DocBud
You are so right. There is no ‘status quo’ for the UK to adopt if we leave and then try to re-enter. The UK would be treated as a new supplicant begging for entry. The terms of entry to the Eu are set out in Article 49 and yes, you have to adopt the Euro as your currency. I’m not surprised or moved by this decision. The SC is part of the EU and its bench is filled with EU citizens. Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas.
The Guardian have been desperately playing this broken record since June 23rd. Time and time against they run opinion pieces – almost daily still – despising the referendum result and prodding at different ways they think it should be overturned.
It really is quite offensive stuff. Not that the BBC are exactly far behind The Graun beating this topic to death. They are all like children having a big old tantrum; the people are stupid and voted the wrong way is the mantra.
All the while the number of stupids escalates. Some don’t knows have become stupids and even some Remainers have switched sides.
It’s an interesting conjecture; I reckon that if there were to be a re-run of the Referendum the number of stupids would be in 19 – 20 million range.