That as I haven't registered to vote by post...

[cjt110]

...I don't have a right to an opinion on the referendum. As it goes, I would not know which way to vote due to lack of clear information so probably wouldn't choose to vote anyway.

Discussions got to the referendum here in the office with a colleague asking who was voting which way. I was listening to the arguments for and against and came up with some counter suggestions for/against. A colleague piped up with "well you haven't even registered to vote by post so (paraphrased) you don't have a right to an opinion"

I am by no means a feminist but I am raging at this notion that as I haven't registered to vote by post (we are away on holiday on 23 June) that I don't have a right to an opinion.

Really quite cross by this. Yes, I chose not to register to vote by post. That's my choice. But to be made to feel I cant discuss it made me so cross. All 3 discussing it were male. Each argument I made was poo-pooed and one even remarked (the one who said I didnt have a right to an opinion) said I was making up scenarios that would never happen. Eg. I said well what if we leave the EU and to be able to travel within Europe you need to apply for a visa for those countries. Entirely possible. Also entirely not possible. We don't know. But I was made out to not matter.

"only gauging public opinion, unlike say the general election which your vote actually makes things happen/not happen"

You know the result of this will actually decide what we do, don't you? It's not an opinion poll, it is the actual decision.

"Only gauging public opinion"

This isn't a poll. It's a bloody referendum!

Yes I get that it's a referendum - but it doesnt mean it WILL happen.

Taken from the first search result "Are referendums legally binding" [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Referendums_in_the_United_Kingdom Wikipedia]] states "Referendums are not legally binding, so legally the Government can ignore the results; for example, even if the result of a pre-legislative referendum were a majority of ‘No' for a proposed law, Parliament could pass it anyway, because parliament is sovereign."

It doesn't just gauge public opinion It determines the course of the future of our nation! The Government will have to do what the public votes in the majority to do. That's why people are just a wee bit stressed about the subject [and why, despite considering myself to be a really quite intelligent person, I am dismayed that I can't pick out the propaganda from the truth and can't decide which way I should be voting for the good of our country ]

Queen they asked for them though, then when I said them, said that because I hadn't registered to vote by post that my opinions didnt matter anyway

I agree with them!

In what way would it not happen?

If we vote out then we will be leaving - for right or for wrong it will happen, there is no way the government would overturn that. If we decide to stay then maybe there will be another vote but that won't be for a generation. If we are going out then that is it, we will set a timetable and get out and there's no chance we would easily get back in.

This isn't a poll, whatever we decide will happen!

"Referendums are not legally binding, so legally the Government can ignore the results" - Only if they want rioting and never to be trusted again.

Yes, but given that the Government has given their word that they will be bound by the result, it would be suicide to go against it.

So, the Tories, by a majority, appear to want to remain. They are the leading political party and so, lets say the vote result is to leave. The result isnt legally binding and so, they can ignore it.

OddBoots The tories were not trusted after the Minors strikes etc and they back into power since.

But they won't, because if they do, it's political suicide.

Have my first

I guess I just dont understand it but, whilst unlikely, it doesnt mean the result of the vote means it will happen.

Nothing is clear. There's no "Here's the pros and cons" without a political slant and the neutral guide you are told you will get through the post is nowhere to be seen.

OP can get a proxy vote. And thus express her opinion.

If you can't be bothered to vote then I wouldn't be bothered to listen to your opinions
This ^^^

You can still register for a proxy vote, deadline has been extended to tomorrow night.

Liney as I understand it can only be a family member to vote for you and they have to go to your polling station? My parents and husband are away with me.

Or have I read this wrong - it isn't clear to me.

Actually there is some legitimacy in the OP's points about it not being legally binding. The referendum question is going to be very widely drawn, and there would still be a huge number of votes required in parliament to determine the mechanism for leaving. It wouldn't be a question of simply "leaving the EU" - there are all kinds of arrangements that would probably be retained on either a temporary or permanent basis, and there is a school of thought that a "leave" vote might in practice only have a limited effect.

Further, it will take so long to debate and work out an exit mechanism that by the time it has been agreed (and possibly the reality has hit home) there may be a call for another referendum to decide the issue again, or it may even be that the government will have changed and been re-elected on a manifesto pledge to remain.

In terms of not having an opinion if you don't vote, actually I think there is a difference between a referendum and a general election. I think it is understandable and legitimate to take the view that a referendum is not appropriate or that others with more informed views should exercise the vote. Personally I don't agree with that approach because in reality most people voting will be very uninformed about the detail, but I would defend somebody's right not to vote but still to have and express an opinion on elements of the issue (or to challenge the opinions of others).

And I'm fairly sure whichever way the country cites, that's what will be happening. Don't think they're going to use that non-legally binding clause somehow.

Cites= votes

OP sounds terribly stupid.

She wants to remain but can't be bothered to vote. She thinks it's fine because the govt "probably" won't go ahead with it anyway.

God, this is the general public determining the economic future of our country. It puts you off bloody democracy, never mind referendums.

Far from it A11 I just don't get everybody suddenly becoming an expert on the Eu when they know fuck all about it.

It says "A person cannot be a proxy for more than two people at any one election or referendum, unless they are a close relative." here

So when there was a vote in Ireland about abortion laws, nobody but those able to vote were entitled to an opinion? I think not.