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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how anyone can justify the fact Theresa May categorically refused to say she thinks Brexit is a good idea

129 replies

Bearbehind · 29/05/2017 22:04

Seriously, the Prime Minister has basically just said she doesn't agree with Brexit but 'it's the will of the people' so she'll carry on regardless.

Doesn't that make anyone think twice?

OP posts:
Original poster
Bearbehind · 29/05/2017 22:28

So what's your solution? Don't vote?

Probably spoil my ballot paper, which I've always thought was a ridiculous thing to do, as it seems the only way to make the point the choice we are being offered is unacceptable.

OP posts:
fakenamefornow · 29/05/2017 22:29

I'd actually much rather that than someone who is stupid enough to think that it's a really good idea. BECAUSE IT ISN'T.

Exactly!

I wouldn't be surprised if we did end up with a second referendum on the final deal and I think the public will vote to leave no matter how shit and damaging it is. She can then blame the public and she would be right.

DanCarterIsMyOtherHusband · 29/05/2017 22:29

Who do you suggest leads the UK through Brexit? Farage? He was the only one that really wanted it, wasn't he?

MissionItsPossible · 29/05/2017 22:30

Paxman came across as petulant when he kept pushing the issue. It was plainly obvious that she supported remain but as PM she was acting upon the vote of the country and yet he kept pushing into making her say she changed her mind on the issue

SaucyJack · 29/05/2017 22:30

"Are people honestly happy to be led by someone who is saying 'this is a fucking stupid idea but if it's what you want I'll do it'"

I'm not happy to be led by Theresa May in any circumstances, but I can accept that there's no sense for her to suddenly pretend to be pro-Brexit when it was well documented she wanted to remain.

She'd possibly look even stupider than she already does.

harderandharder2breathe · 29/05/2017 22:30

It's not really a surprise since she was a Remainer

And Brexit is shit, but we're stuck with it, that's about the only opinion I have in common with her.

twofingerstoEverything · 29/05/2017 22:32

The problem was that she was unable to give one good reason why she believed it would be good for the country. She's had almost a year to think about this and identify some positives. 'Will of the people' is a very, very weak answer. By now she should be trying to convince the electorate that there will be concrete benefits to leaving, but she couldn't mention a single thing that would be better. That's the issue here.

harderandharder2breathe · 29/05/2017 22:33

Possibly because there are no good reasons or benefits

myusernameisgeneric · 29/05/2017 22:36

She was on the side of remain through the campaigning as were most politicians. Our government overall does not want to leave. This is not a secret.

pangolina · 29/05/2017 22:36

I rather admire her. She is following the democratic vote of the people; it's her job.
That little weasel Cameron who called the referendum, vowed to abide by the result then fucked off when it didn't go how he expected, however...

Original poster
Bearbehind · 29/05/2017 22:39

I think Brexit is a stupid idea but I accept it's happening.

I'd feel a lot happier about it if the person who will likely end up being PM could do a little better to convince me why I should embrace it than saying 'well a lot of people think it's a good idea even if I don't so we'll do it and blame them when it goes tits up'

Why is no one questioning the fact there are still no economic positives to quote about Brexit even a year on from the vote?

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 29/05/2017 22:42

I think Brexit is a stupid idea but I accept it's happening.

Isn't that exactly what you're criticising TM for?Confused

If you mean you think she should call for a rerun of the referendum... I wish it was possible, but how do you think that would actually play out in the real world?

Original poster
Bearbehind · 29/05/2017 22:45

No errol, I'd hoped, obviously irrationally, that nearly a year on from the vote TM might be able to say 'I did vote Remain but now, due to x, y and z, I think leaving is the right choice'

OP posts:
twofingerstoEverything · 29/05/2017 22:45

Why is no one questioning the fact there are still no economic positives to quote about Brexit even a year on from the vote?

Because there aren't any. And yet... about a third of her audience cheered every time the magic words ("will of the people") were spoken.

Original poster
Bearbehind · 29/05/2017 22:48

I'm not in a position to point out the pitfalls of Brexit to the masses, TM is.

The problem is the party politics come before the welfare of the country So it won't happen.

I virtually guarantee if the price we will ultimately pay for leaving the EU were published tomorrow, remain would win by a landslide.

OP posts:
londonrach · 29/05/2017 22:52

The country voted to leave so anyone whos elected has to follow it through. Whats not to understand? Id be more upset if an pm went against the will of the people. (I voted to remain)

BMW6 · 29/05/2017 22:55

I rather respect her for putting aside her personal views to carry out the result of the vote. Isn't that what it's all about as a politician? You try and persuade the voting public to your POV. but if the majority says no, you implement THEIR will, not your own?

Original poster
Bearbehind · 29/05/2017 22:58

Do you not want to be convinced it's the right decision london?

Do you not think a better approach would be to tell us why Brexit is actually going to be good for the country?

Does it not concern you that the reason none of this is happening is because there are no upsides to quote?

OP posts:
FlourishingMrs · 29/05/2017 23:00

I have never seen a country that is so self deprecating, are there no successful countries out of the EU?

I think we can make a good success of Brexit if we could stop mopping, respect democracy and sell our countries virtues to the wilder world.

Stupid Cameron jumped sheep and as in most cases a woman has to pick up ....

Do we know wish Andrea was PM? Was that her name? The brexit woman. I think Mrs M is the best for now.

5foot5 · 29/05/2017 23:09

Do you not want to be convinced it's the right decision
But it's not.

Do you not think a better approach would be to tell us why Brexit is actually going to be good for the country?
But it probably isn't

Given that she campaigned against it it would look really shifty if she now claimed it was all going to be great for us. But she has to try to make the best of a bad job. She seemed like the best person to take the job on at the time. Who would you rather have? Boris!?

RhiWrites · 29/05/2017 23:45

No one could convince me it's the right decision. It's going to be a bloody disaster.

But OP how can you

RhiWrites · 29/05/2017 23:46

... How can you spoil your ballot paper? Take a stand and vote for something.

ilovesooty · 29/05/2017 23:49

Cameron jumped sheep

I thought he was more partial to pigs.

BertrandRussell · 29/05/2017 23:50

That's what being part of a parliamentary democracy means. She can think it's a bad idea- but she's the Prime Minister so has to follow the will of the people.

BackforGood · 29/05/2017 23:52

This is weird.
You've basically said the same as TM - that you believe it wasn't the right decision to vote to leave, but, as that is what the majority of people who voted chose, then you accept that decision.

She is honestly saying that - the fact we are leaving the EU is fact. It is the job of the Prime Minister (well, probably a massive team of Civil servants and lawyers, but fronted by the PM) is to try to get the best deal possible for UK in the circumstances.

I can't see why that is confusing or in any way dishonest.

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