unsure about the petition

[wishfulthink]

I voted to remain but I just don't know how I feel about the petition - it's a democracy and the voting is now done. The damage and hurt is already here, it won't go away if the petition is successful will it??

Not so much an AIBU as an is there any point? Please can someone explain it to me...

[Pocketrocket31]

TwoLittleBlooms

Pocketrocket Not 52% of the UK, 52% of the voters that turned out. Approximately 38% I believe of the UK population who were eligible to vote.

Biggest turn out since 1992! And still 52% of ppl who voted wanted out. The 28% of ppl who didn't bother to vote. More fool them! Tough shit basically

[Sparklesilverglitter]

It's a democracy and I don't think there should be a petition or anything. You can't have a petition because you are not happy with the result, it doesn't work like that. Shall we do the same when we lose at football? Say ooh we lost lets petition

Leave won by a majority vote with over 1 million people extra voting to leave. The public were given the choice and they chose to leave.

[purplemeggie]

The petition cannot make any difference. The referendum was conducted in accordance with its rules, we must now abide by its results and consequences. Those who sign the petition will get an email explaining this and that the government will not be debating the petition.

[fusionconfusion]

In Ireland we voted again on the Nice Treaty. It was a farce but probably the right thing to do. I think that the campaigns weren't fairly run and this undermines the validity of the vote. In Ireland for referenda all households get a neutrally worded booklet of facts and figures and FAQs outlined by both sides and there are heavy restrictions on the types of claims that can be made. The 350 million for NHS lie being one example. So I don't see looking seriously at this again as undemocratic. The government could renegotiate terms and present it more fairly to the people.

[WordsAreWind]

It is our democratic right to make a petetion and our democratic right to sign one.

I have not signed it. It is my democratic right to decide that and you have made this thread wondering what's the point which is your democratic right.

The point of the petition is democracy.

[WordsAreWind]

Exuse the typos it is late 😊

[branofthemist]

Having a petition and signing a petition is democracy.

The subject of this petition is not.

[LillyBugg]

I won't be signing the petition. It makes a complete mockery of the democratic system. We shouldn't be just running the vote again because we don't like the outcome. I'm very disappointed by the result but honestly I'd be more disappointed to have to vote again. For me, it would just show there is no point in the whole process because we'll just keep going until we get the 'right' outcome.

[allegretto]

I don't think it is democracy. In order to overturn something as huge as this with implications for the stability of the country and people's jobs it should not have been a clear win unless a bigger majority was won - and that is not sour grapes. This type of referendum wouldn't have been legal in the US, for example.

Plus a huge number of people affected (me included) were not given a vote as we were living abroad but are still British citizens and are affected by the outcome.

[branofthemist]

This type of referendum wouldn't have been legal in the US, for example.

What's that got to do with anything?

Our voting system is completely different to theirs in so many ways.

The fact is the rules were set, by the rules remain lost. It was democratic. You can't change the rules after the vote. Before hand, yes.

I am as pissed off as anyone. But think if the petition wins and another referendum is called, democracy loses.

I won't support that.

[SugarPlumTree]

I am not signing it as agree it is democracy and a dangerous precedent to over turn.

But I understand why people might given that :

1. Farage has admitted the 350 million figure should not have been used
   
2. He was quoted as saying it if was 52/48 to remain it was unfinished business and he would be calling for a second referendum
   
3. 16 and 17 year olds were able to vote in the Scottish Referendum which set a precedent.
   
   There is a huge difference between a 13 year old and a 16 year old. The 16 year old is able to marry with parental consent and have sex, can drink alcohol in a pub with a meal if bought by others. As said above there was a precedent for this from the Scottish Referendum. There is huge outrage amongst this age group,that they were denied a voice in something that affects them massively,

[Numberoneisgone]

I live in Ireland we voted by referendum to ban abortion ever in any circumstance unless the mother was dying. Many, many people have thought this was an awful decision and the wrong one. They have fought since the day after that referendum to have another one.

Sometimes the wrong decision is taken in a referendum. It is worth reflecting and seeing if this is the case in this one. Having another referendum is still democracy. I totally disagree that if you strongly believe the wrong decision was taken you should just accept it. There is far too much at stake.

[ThoraGruntwhistle]

I signed it just in case there's anything we can do to stop the damage to the country, but I don't think for a second it'll have any effect. It makes no difference that half a million people have signed it, the vote went the way it went. It's totally grasping at straws.

[loobieloo32]

I voted remain, but absolutely disagree with a second referendum. It would increase uncertainty set a dangerous precedent and undermines the process. Politicians lie if people don't already know this when they go to the ballot box this just has much bigger consequences-unfortunately some lie more than others.

All we can do now is prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.

[LunaLoveg00d]

Completley pointless. Won't happen.

This is exactly the situation after the Scottish indy ref - almost half the population was pissed off and upset and almost 2 years later the divisions haven't fully healed.

I am not happy with the result either but it's not going to change and we have to put it behind us and make the best of it.

[VikingVolva]

The demographics aren't 'unfair' they're the actual population.

And the actual population returned this result, like it or not.

(The Scottish referendum set no precedent for anything outside Scotland itself)

The losing side doesn't get a second bite.

One bus, that most people had never heard of until the fuss after the vote, probably doesn't account for the margin of one million. Unless you think everyone in the north is thick and takes every campaign slogan as precisely costed. I wonder if that's why Leave was strongest in the Labour heartlands? Fed up of the Londonders sneering?

[Crunchymum]

I initially tried to sign it (page had crashed) and I embarrassingly sent it on to a few people I know via Whatsapp.

I then calmed the fuck down and realised how petulant and ungracious it is.

I still 100% disagree with the result, I think most people I know who voted leave did so without much research or information and I think a lot of people voted for the wrong reasons BUT I cannot support this petition.

We just have to deal with it and blame all the leave voters when this country goes to hell

[SugarPlumTree]

As I said i do not support the petition. But the 350 million figure was not just one advert on one bus. I heard the 350 million figure for NHS mentioned numerous times in the run up and people I spoke to who were considering a leave vote were considering this as part of their decision.

[chocolateworshipper]

It would be unreasonable if people had voted based on facts. But since the Leave campaign have already admitted some of their lies .... game on

[ToastDemon]

I signed the petition. I believe that a lot of people didn't have the facts to hand that they needed to make this decision and that it's so blatantly now not in the best interests of the UK to leave the EU.
The Leave campaign lied to people. Elements of the media lied to people.
Ploughing ahead with this would actually feel like the least democratic course of action to me.

[BurnTheBlackSuit]

The result of the referendum is undemocratic because young people wanted to remain and old people wanted to leave??

What horrible ageism- we all have ONE EQUAL vote regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, skin colour etc.

[fusionconfusion]

This is exactly the point. People voted based on an unfair and unbalanced campaign that was not factual. This is why we ended up with a Referendum Commission in Ireland, because it became clear that you can't run a referendum the same way you run an election. It needs to be about communicating factual information on pros and cons and likely implications with no hyperbole or defamation or dirty tricks. The fact so many people thought they were 'sticking it to the establishment' and later regretted it or were unsure and just voted no because they say they didn't really believe it would happen or really believe there would be negative consequences is a sign it was not a fair referendum and so the result is not fair and democratic. This isn't a game of croquet. What matters most is that people make a vote based on fact not rhetoric, and that doesn't seem to have happened here.

[HamaTime]

16 and 17 year olds are different from 9 year olds as they are taxed. Taxation without representation is tyranny. I can't believe there are people who can't tell the difference between a 16 year old who pays tax and NI and a child.

I agree that the subject of the petition is undemocratic but allowing a decision based on out and out lies isn't a beacon of democracy either. It'd preposterous that we are in a place where 'all politicians lie' is a thing that we just accept the way we used to accept 'boys will be boys' to dismiss all manner of dickens behaviour . There should be real consequences for deliberately misleading the electorate.

[justbogoff]

The referendum was fair, the turnout was huge.
I don'the agree with the result, but it was a democratic process.

[NoahVale]

i signed it but the chance of it having any affect are extremely low.
plus france hates us even more now. we have to go now, and not bang the door on the way out.