To think that David Cameron should have to answer for what he's done?

[MsHooliesCardigan]

This is not about the rights and wrongs of leaving the EU but about accountability.
DC decided to hold the referendum for his own political ends, it wasn't because the electorate were all clamouring for it.
It was a far too complex question to be put to a simple Yes/No vote.
For a referendum to be legally binding, terms are set out beforehand about the minimum turnout and majority required which didn't happen so it was advisory but voters were told that it was binding.
And, most shockingly, absolutely NO plans were made as to what would happen if we voted to leave as DC was too arrogant to consider that he might actually lose. The whole shitstorm that is Brexit was released which almost undoubtedly played a part in Trump getting elected (I know there are lots of differences but there are definite similarities and DT himself referred to 'Brexit plus plus).
And the next day, Cameron just fucks off to write his memoirs and spend more time with his money family and leaves everyone else to pick up the pieces for the next 10 years or so.
Is he never going to be held to any kind of accountability for this?
FWIW, I voted Remain but after quite a bit of wavering and I have no issue with Leave voters. The point is that nobody voted for the fucking mess we've been left with.

[winterisnigh]

Not really I am glad he gave us the Referendum, it was the right thing to do and I am very glad he stepped aside to let a far more competent leader emerge in the form of TM.

[winterisnigh]

I also think its naive to think no leave voters anticipated "Mess" of course there is going to be mess!

[CockacidalManiac]

Not sure how you're expecting him to be held to account? Proposing a referendum was a cynical decision just to keep his own headbangers from wandering off to UKIP, but he hasn't done anything illegal.
He'll make shitloads of money, but them ex politicians tend to. I think he knows that he's fucked up any legacy.

[MsHooliesCardigan]

winter But did anybody seriously imagine we'd be in the position we're in now? DC said he'd trigger A50 the day after the referendum and here we are nearly 5 months later. And I actually think an awful lot of voters had no idea about the logistical complexities of actually leaving.

[SerendipityPhenomenon]

He will go down in history as the Prime Minister who was prepared to send the country down the pan for the sake of his own political ambitions. Realistically there is not much more that can happen by way of holding him to account.

[44PumpLane]

I don't think Cameron has "done" anything he needs to take account of.

Brexit won't have impacted the US election, the majority of Trump supporters (middle America) wouldn't particularly be aware of or influenced by Brexit.

Also, it's not like Cameron sent us to war..... he asked the nations opinion on whether we wanted to remain in the EU or leave, when the result came in different to his own political view he quite rightly stepped asides he did not share the same opinion as the majority who voted.

FWIW I voted remain, but I don't believe there is an accountability issue for DC.

[NathanBarleyrocks]

I'll admit, I voted leave but wish I hadn't as we weren't given much information on what would actually happen. Still can't believe we are having an amnesty on all immigrants that are already here. Assumed they would at least have to apply for the right to stay based on the new points system.

[MsHooliesCardigan]

I know he can't be formally held to account. I suppose I'm thinking more along the lines of having to be grilled for an hour by Jeremy Paxman and a public audience. I'd like to see him explain why there was no exit plan rather than get to just slope off.
And I know PMs are obsessed with their legacy and he will be aware that his will be shit.

[AlexaTwoAtT]

"NathanBarleyrocks

I'll admit, I voted leave but wish I hadn't as we weren't given much information on what would actually happen."

This sort of admisssion makes me despair. There was plenty information out there but it's not always going to be spelt out for people. I think the idea is that you try to work it out for yourself based on the most reliable information you can find. If you are ever in a "I don't know much but I am going to vote Leave anyway" type of situation, again, try reading the decent press.

You wish you hadn't? Well you and others did and you have landed us in this.

[Strifae64]

The Immigrants that are already here have built a life for themselves, have family here and jobs. You can't just tell them to leave, that would be morally wrong and quite possibly even legally wrong.

[RortyCrankle]

He did what he promised in the Conservative manifesto at the last GE and people voted for that. I waited a long time for the opportunity to vote Leave and did so in June.

So YABU, he has to answer for nothing except I thought he should have remained neutral and then dealt with the outcome. In the circumstances he was right to stand down and I'm confident Theresa May will take us out.

[myfavouritecolourispurple]

The majority of EU immigrants will have qualified for British citizenship by the time we leave the EU anyway. There will only be a small percentage who won't, and that's the main reason the government has said they can stay.

[cathaka15]

He made a decision as PM for the referendum. I made my choice on how to vote ( leave ) and that's the end of it.
Accept this is how democracy works.

[KidLorneRoll]

He's already been judged. The man who pushed the country off a cliff he didn't even believe in for short-term political gain and than ran away. History will label him.

Spineless fucking coward. I hope it haunts him for the rest of his live, but I know in reality he couldn't give a tiny fuck.

[winterisnigh]

This sort of admisssion makes me despair. There was plenty information out there but it's not always going to be spelt out for people

Would it ease your despair to imagine had vote gone the other way - how many people would be saying the same thing about the EU?

ie " I voted to keep my holiday costs down and now I have realised we are stuck with x y z" ?
Ergo on both sides you have to allow for people who make their minds up based on very little. Unless of course you believe that every single remain voter did extensive research into the EU and all its many levels of machinations, corruptions, hidden subterfuges etc.....

[CockacidalManiac]

He made a decision as PM for the referendum. I made my choice on how to vote ( leave ) and that's the end of it.
Accept this is how democracy works.

It's not though, is it. People who wanted to leave the EU moaned and whined about it ever since we joined the EEC. That wasn't 'the end of it'. How you people that have dumped us into a lorry load of shit would love us just to shut up about it and not hold you to account.

[TheFairyCaravan]

I'll admit, I voted leave but wish I hadn't as we weren't given much information on what would actually happen.

This is exactly why we should never, ever have had the referendum. Too many people didn't understand the magnitude of the decision they were marking and couldn't be bothered to educate themselves.

[Lorelei76]

Nathan "Still can't believe we are having an amnesty on all immigrants that are already here."

you wanted everyone who was already here to be kicked out?

[CockacidalManiac]

We live in a parliamentary democracy. Holding a referendum on anything is a fucking stupid idea

[Mumoftwoyoungkids]

I am a strong "remainer" and no fan of DC (disagree with pretty much everything he stands for) but don't think he did anything wrong.

He allowed the British public to vote on an issue that many people had a view on. The fact that people didn't bother to research it properly is neither here nor there. (Nathan - ten minutes on Google would have told you what would happen - it isn't at all a surprise.)

We can't start saying "The British public is too thick to make important decisions" unless we want a military dictatorship.

What I do think though is that before any kind of political campaign starts then all the main campaigners should be required to go to court and testify exactly what their election promises will be. No other campaigning can be made other than those sworn to in court. £350m a week for the NHS was a ridiculous statemeant that again 10 mins on google showed to be complete falsehood but a lot of people did believe it and voted accordingly. Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson should be held to account for those lies.

[MsHooliesCardigan]

My issue is not with holding the referendum per se. But the way it was done was a total shambles hence the government losing in the high court and, 5 months after the vote, nobody having a clue what is happening.

[Squeegle]

I think that if we hold a referendum there should be a very clear path set out for the two choices. This did not happen. I quite agree it was unfeasibly irresponsible. I don't see how elected officials can just resign when things don't go their way and we are all left with the mess to contend with. That's his legacy and I suspect it will blight the rest of his life. But realistically we should tighten up on referendum processes. (Not that I think anyone will be having any in this country for the foreseeable)

[Lorelei76]

I'm no fan of DC but he was also trying to stop the rise of UKIP surely?

[Costacoffeeplease]

Being grilled by Paxman or similar for an hour is being held to account

What difference would that make?

It would have been a if it wasn't so ridiculous

[5moreminutes]

The whole idea of putting such a complex issue into the form of a binary referendum questions was absolutely stupid and reckless I agree.

As it was stupid and reckless but not illegal I also agree he can only be held to account by the history books.

He isn't the only one to have gambled irresponsibly with massive stakes which millions of others end up paying for in the hope of furthering his own political career of course!

People who say "and that's the end of it" when article 50 hasn't even been triggered yet are very silly indeed.

Holding referendums (what is the plural of referendum?) is not in any intrinsic way "how democracy works" and neither is the farcical way the referendum has been handled before, due and since it happened.