Saturday 17 November 2018

Brexit versus Democracy


Why are they allowed to tell us all these lies and to spread such misinformation?  It’s not just politicians (on both sides), it’s the media too – but I have to say, it’s mostly Brexiteers who peddle these lies.  When are they going to tell us the truth? When are they going to give us the real facts?

We keep being told that “the majority” voted to for Brexit.
No they didn’t!  Only 37.44 of the electorate voted “Leave”.

We keep being told that “The people have spoken” and that Brexit won by 52% to 48%.
This is just plain wrong!  The facts are that Leave won by only 37% to 35% – and that 28% of the electorate didn’t vote at all.

We also know full well that the Referendum was only intended to be “advisory” – but the government, most of the Labour party, the BBC, most of the media and everybody on the Brexit side seem to have conveniently forgotten that.  If the referendum had been intended to be binding, then surely there should have been a clear minimum number of votes required to make it so.  For something as important as this, let’s say at least 50% of the electorate one way or the other to make it binding, not just a simple majority.

Nobody knows exactly why 28% of the electorate didn’t vote. Maybe they were undecided and had no firm view either way, maybe they thought that it was a foregone conclusion and that there was no chance that “Leave” would win.  However, what we do know, with a fair degree of certainty, is that of the voters who have died in the 2 years, 5 months since the Referendum, more will have voted Leave than Remain.  We also know that, of the younger people who have become eligible to vote since the Referendum, more will be likely to vote Remain than Leave.  The polls also tell us clearly that more people have changed their views from Leave to Remain than vice-versa. This is hardly surprising considering the chaotic shambles we’ve been watching ever since.

It is clearly wrong and totally undemocratic to pursue such a drastic, potentially dangerous and life-changing course of action solely on the basis that, nearly 2½ years ago, just 37% of the voting public thought that it might be a good idea!  What about the other 63% of the electorate?  Are they not allowed to have any further say at all, especially now that they have an idea of the potential consequences?

Countless politicians, both Conservative and Labour, actively campaigned for Remain but have (or say they have) changed their views since the Referendum – this is sheer hypocrisy!  Of course, they all now say that they are “honouring the will of the people” – but, in fact, all they are doing is pandering to what they think is the opinion of a majority of the electorate, in the hope that they will not lose votes at the next election.

It is not the duty of MPs just to follow public opinion, nor merely to do what they think the majority of their constituents want.  It is their duty to act in accordance with what they believe to be in the best interests of all their constituents and of the country as a whole. Most of all, it is their duty to be HONEST!

The EU Referendum was a misguided and foolish idea in the first place.  It was politically motivated and it should never have happened at all.  Campaigning on the Leave side was riddled with lies and false promises as well as being illegally over-funded.  However, it did happen.  Since then the country has become more divided than ever.  The government (and most of the opposition) have proved to be totally incapable of making any sense of it.  The whole Brexit process has resulted in complete chaos.  Almost everybody now believes that the UK will be worse off after Brexit and, worst of all, the dangers to the integrity of the UK and the peace of Northern Ireland are staring us in the face!

A General Election at this point would create mayhem!  It would just end up being a single issue election.  Almost everybody would be voting according to their views on Brexit instead of voting for the candidate they believed to be the wisest and most honest, or who had the best policies and would best represent them.

The only possible answer, now, is a second Referendum – call it a “People’s Vote” if you like – but it absolutely must not be a vote on “deal or no deal”.  Bearing in mind the complete shambles we have all witnessed over the last 2½ years, it must, clearly, be another vote on Leave or Remain – Brexit or No Brexit – and it should require a clear majority of at least 50% of the electorate to establish a firm and lasting decision one way or the other.  Until such a firm and lasting decision is achieved, the entire Brexit process must be put on hold, for the sake of everybody.