AIBU Mr Cameron has some explaining to do

[iniquity]

He won the last election because he said labour couldn't be trusted with the economy.
He promised us a referendum.
Now he's telling us we will be plunged into an economical black hole if we brexit, which there is a 50 percent chance now.
Labour said all along that they wouldn't have a referendum as it would be too damaging for the economy. At least they were honest from the start.

[milliemolliemou]

Cameron presumably promised the referendum because of internal Conservative politics - it quietened down the party Eurosceptics and the large number of voters who also appeared to be Eurosceptic. And I'm with wasonthelist - presumably he bet the referendum would satisfy Eurosceptics while still leaving us IN. And he didn't promise it saying he believed in OUT which is why he's been putting the case for staying IN. Whichever way it goes, it's not going to do much for the Tory party.

Labour have been riven as well. Gaitskell opposed it from the start and in the last half century many MPs including Corbyn were Eurosceptic. - as late as 1983 the broader Labour polity voted 2-1 against further involvement. They didn't offer a referendum in their manifesto IMO because they could see the Tories would do it anyway and pay the price - despite the fact many Labour supporters would have gone for it.

[Basicbrown]

He put his desire to be elected above the best interest of the country.

Which I'm sure is true of a large number of politicians.

The 'black hole' stuff is interesting because it will be his job to ensure it doesn't happen. Maybe he thinks if he makes out it will be awful and it isn't the tories will get credit for their amazing economic policy.

[wasonthelist]

I think my point is 1. Either he is exaggerating the risk or 2. He put his desire to be elected above the best interest of the country.

I think it's both, but he's not alone in that :)

[GreenishMe]

I'll be very disappointed if we stay in.....but I think we will.

DC has 'scared' enough people in to complying.

we'll have to wash our own cars ffs

[Timeforabiscuit]

I suspect after brexit we'll start to get some decent coverage on the election fraud investigations - Farages smug face will be everywhere if the tory party starts to implode as a result.

[NewLife4Me]

OP, I find it all a bit fishy tbh.
I'm surprised why so many seemingly intelligent people believe this shit anyway.
They will do what they want to regardless of how people vote.
We aren't going to have the final say in something as important as this
It's a pantomime ffs.

[FlaviaAnsell]

Surely in that case we need him to stay on for stability in the short term, but for there to be a leadership contest for someone who is positive about and has plans and vision for the future outside the EU.

That will happen regardless of the referendum result. He's already said he doesn't intend to lead the party into the next election, so there'll be a leadership election in a couple of years in any case. A Leave result might bring it forward a bit, that's all.

The Conservative party has gone through major splits before, both times over free trade, which to some extent is the issue now. It reformed itself and survived, after a period in opposition. The differences are that the politicians involved then, both times, were of much greater stature than the current lot, and there was a much more credible and stronger Opposition.

[Capricorn76]

I'm part of the British public and I did not call for a referendum. Nor did any of my friends or colleagues. The Tories will not be forgiven for causing these divisions, potentially ruining our economy and splitting the UK.

[Musicinthe00ssucks]

He also said he would throw his full support behind the Leave campaign if he couldn't negotiate better terms for the UK in the EU. He didn't and he hasn't. He is a professional liar.

[Griphook]

Yes he does have lot to answer for, he won the election on the back of offering a referendum, he was short sighted and was only interested in winning the election at any cost to to the county. His promise of a referendum was acting in his own self interest.

[iisme]

I think he will be remembered as a poor leader, mainly on the basis of the two referendums. He should never have called this one, it was a cynical attempt to deal with internal party politics and get rid of Boris and UKIP which has gone pretty wrong, even if we do remain, and will cause lasting bad feeling towards the UK in Europe and has fermented a terrible atmosphere in British politics. . He managed not to loose Scotland in the last referendum but it gave a huge push to Scotland in the inexorable direction of independence. He couldn't have prevented that referendum, but it was his governance and the way the 'no' campaign was run that turned it into such a close run thing and did permanent damage to the union.

[lljkk]

In February, I thought Cameron's renegotiation terms were weak... but as the debates have deepened about why Brexit, I like Cameron's deal more and more. He really has renegotiated a load of things to rebuff those who want to Leave.

The only reason people say different is because they don't believe Camerons' deal will stand up. Either then don't trust EU to keep EU side of deal, or they dont' trust Cameron to implement it. I find myself liking Cameron* more as a leader for negotiating what has been an extremely difficult path last 6 yrs.

*would never vote Tory in my life, but as Tory bastards go, Cameron is alright.

[scaryteacher]

I don't trust the EU to keep their side of the deal; and I think the renegotiation was scuppered from the off when he said he wanted to remain. Had he said to the EU that he would campaign for out and done so, I would have had far more admiration for him.

This is panicky essay crisis governing. He should have learned from the Scottish referendum.