'Brexit means Brexit' - a political statement devoid of meaning

[xmasadsboohiss]

I'm not here to rehash the rights and wrongs of the Brexit vote - I was all for remaining but that's by the by. But TM's incessant repetition of 'Brexit means Brexit' is surely an insult to everyone's intelligence. No one knows what Brexit means that's the whole fecking point! I understand that she's trying to say there will be no second referendum (short sighted anyway precisely because no one knows what the negotiations will throw up) but Nigel Farage's idea of Brexit is I'm sure different from say a more moderate Tory's (?). You may as well try nailing jelly to the wall as define what it really means at this stage.

[HelpfulChap]

The development that has surprised me the least is the amount of politicians that are showing their true colours in the wake of the vote.

The result of the democratic referendum didn't go their way so they are doing everything they can to overturn it on the principle that 'they know better than the voters'. Of course it would be a different story if the vote had gone the other way.

We shouldn't be surprised really, they are the same politicians that want to remain in the undemocratic EU.

Their behaviour is quite disgraceful really and makes it quite clear why Labour as it stands and the Lib Dems are currently unelectable.

As for two time loser Sturgeon, the least said the better.

[GettinTrimmer]

How do you feel about Scotland and Northern Ireland democratically voting to stay in the EU? Given the fact voters were lied to about the benefits of leaving the EU it's hardly surprising there is opposition, also recession being imposed on those of us who didn't vote for it. But anyway Brexit means Brexit as Xmas says, let's just resign ourselves to it, eh? Let's just hope these great benefits of leaving will materialise soon.

[Peregrina]

I am not sure what you mean by the politicians trying to overturn the results. My MP voted Remain, but is now parrotting 'Brexit means Brexit' with the best of them. I have written to her to ask her to explain to me what she thinks it means. I have also asked if her change of heart is more to do with keeping the Tory party united than personal conviction. No answer yet to that one - she ducked the issue last time with a standard letter answering questions I hadn't asked.

[DoinItFine]

Totally agree OP.

Brexit (a portmanteau word invented by the tabloids) means precisely nothing other than "some type of British exit".

So Britain will leave something.

(Apart from its senses, which it departed some time ago.)

[PhoenixJasmine]

I had a good chuckle the other night when the radio 4 announcer introduced the next program, in his best RP: "And now, Today in Parliament, where MPs continue their quest to find out - what does Brexit mean?"

[Cinnamon2013]

In terms of the MPs who were remain and are now parroting this - I think there is a fear that any about-turn would lead to blood on the streets. So (they perhaps believe) this is the better path to follow now that we have come this far.

[Peregrina]

My MP need not fear blood on the streets because most of her constituents voted to Remain, which leads me to think that Tory party unity is more important to her than any principles she might once have had.

[DoinItFine]

which leads me to think that Tory party unity is more important to her than any principles she might once have had.

Tory party unity - the most important political principle in British politics since the 70s.

The reason we are in this ridiculous mess in the first place.

Traitors. Putting party before country.

[MangoMoon]

I'd rather the governing party were remaining united in the common goal of running the country, than the shambles currently being played out in the Labour Party tbh.

'Brexit means Brexit' to me means that the vote result will stand and they are not holding any truck with those trying to subvert it.

What 'Brexit' itself actually means is currently an ongoing thing.
This is exactly what I expected to happen tbh, they need to come up with a loose framework & agreed direction prior to triggering Article 50 and I would rather wait and get a full picture of the agreed plan than be dripfed what are little more than suggestions & ideas at the mo.

[DoinItFine]

Well I'd rather our country's international standing hadn't been permanently damaged in a massive tactical error played in a game of Toryopoly.

Watching a government trying to cobble something non-disastrous out of a crappy set of choices is not terribly inspiring.

Oh well, we will be bavk in the 1930s soon, before all those terrible impositions like the welfare state and human rights.

[Bearbehind]

I would rather wait and get a full picture of the agreed plan than be dripfed what are little more than suggestions & ideas at the mo.

That comment would be fine if it were made before the referendum.

I truly can't get my head round Leave voters saying this now.

[Peregrina]

Leave voters were itching for Art. 50 to be invoked immediately. What's happened, why have they decided that a period of reflection is in order?

[MangoMoon]

Leave voters were itching for Art. 50 to be invoked immediately. What's happened, why have they decided that a period of reflection is in order?

Have said it before - 'Leave voters' are not the Borg.
They are over 17 million individual people with individual brains, minds, motivations, drivers, reasoning etc etc.

No matter how desperately you would like to neatly package them and label them, they are not one homogeneous mass.

[Bearbehind]

And that's the problemmango, there's 17m versions of what Brexit means because Leave voters all came up with their own vision of the future in lieu of anything actually being offered to them.

[twofingerstoGideon]

HelpfulChap: ...overturn it on the principle that 'they know better than the voters'
Many politicians probably do know better than voters in this instance, or at least have a much better understanding of the EU and the ramifications of leaving.
Also, given that most MPs were firmly in the remain camp, it's quite a big ask to expect them to do an about turn and commit to pushing through a monumental change which they believe is going to be detrimental for the country.

[twofingerstoGideon]

And that's the problemmango, there's 17m versions of what Brexit means because Leave voters all came up with their own vision of the future in lieu of anything actually being offered to them.
This is precisely the problem. One of the a disgruntled audience members on Question Time last night said Brexit was a vote for 'a points-based immigration system' and was pissed off that he might not get it. Actually, it was a vote to leave the EU. There was nothing about points-based immigration on the ballot paper. All Brexiteers have their own private fantasy about what this meaningless term means.

[Peregrina]

So there is a real danger now that whatever deal gets stitched up, it will satisfy no one.

[DoinItFine]

Nobody being satisfied sounds like a very positive spin on what is ahead.

[twofingerstoGideon]

So there is a real danger now that whatever deal gets stitched up, it will satisfy no one.
Yes, this seems like the most likely scenario. Perhaps the only people who will be satisfied will be those with half a brain who voted for the abstract notion of 'getting their country back'. They probably won't give a shit about deals, trade agreements, free movement, negative outcomes, the massive cost of leaving the EU, etc., because they voted with their hearts and not their heads and have no idea about anything. It will be enough for them to say 'we won, we left.'

[smallfox2002]

Whatever deal happens most people will be disappointed, 48% of the population will be anyway and huge swathes of the 52% will be too.

For all the sounds coming out of Westminster I'm fairly sure many of the changes will be in name only.

[TheElementsSong]

there's 17m versions of what Brexit means

Exactly! I have read so many articles and posts in which a Leaver says something like "I was very clear on what I voted for: ". That wasn't the question on the ballot paper!

So we now have a situation where the fools politicians in charge can declare that "the people" voted for and who can say whether that was actually true or not?

[surferjet]

It will be enough for them to say 'we won, we left

Absolutely! We are leaving the EU & that was the main objective.

What happens now is down to our UK politicians, & they can be kicked out after 4 years if we're not happy.

We have control now

[smallfox2002]

So what happens surfer if we agree to have freedom of movement, pay in to the EU and enact EU regulation into our laws?

Control means about the same as brexit.

[Bearbehind]

surfer I know there's no point in asking you what having 'control now' actually means as you have absolutely no idea.

All I can say is you do the Leave voters no favours at all with the meaningless nonsense you continually pop up with- it does nothing to convince Remainers that a fairly large Leave contingent are nothing but brain washed fools.

[DoinItFine]

We're in control of our diminished options and influence.

Woo hoo!