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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you want another Brexit referendum?

261 replies

simplesalvage · 15/01/2019 11:36

Inspired by the would you vote the same way thread.

I was initially against another referendum thinking it would be undemocratic to not accept the vote but after reading the 'would you vote the same' thread I think I have changed my mind.

  1. It is not undemocratic to ask the same question to people again. You are asking the same people so they can vote the same way again if they wish. In fact asking again is more democratic. When you were in school you would always do repeat science experiments to ensure the results were accurate.
  2. Someone said when you have to consent for an operation they take your consent multiple times in case you change your mind - when they first tell you about it and again just before the information. People do change their minds - they learn new information and just have a different state of mind.
  3. We do have more information available now. A lot of what was said were lies (think £350 million available to the NHS) and we know a lot more about the general process of leaving now.
  4. The population has changed since the referendum. Unfortunately a lot of people have died and 16/17 year olds who could not then now are old enough. Therefore another referendum would provide a more representative view of the future.
  5. Another referendum is not likely to ask the same question. It would be more like do you want 'this' deal and to leave with it as that is what we can get (or no deal), or to remain etc.

My main worry about another referendum is that the country would probably descend in to chaos and a minority of leave voters might get a bit nasty.

Anyway sorry for the long post. I know a lot of people will probably disagree with me (like I did yesterday!). What are everyones thoughts?

OP posts:
reallybadidea · 15/01/2019 11:55

I think yes, purely on the basis that the politicians seem to have reached an impasse where they can't decide by themselves what to do. I also don't think that it is possible for the current deal on the table to be renegotiated because of the backstop. Therefore the question should be 'May's deal' or 'Remain'.

RomanyRoots · 15/01/2019 11:56

No, I didn't want the first one and still wouldn't vote.
But I don't moan about the outcome.

SilverySurfer · 15/01/2019 11:57

My thoughts are that I don't understand why people insist on starting threads about Brexit on ABU instead of the Brexit Board.

As to the question - NO. What happens when Leave wins again? The whiny remainers will just keep asking for another vote. What happens if the whining remainers win? Then the Leavers ask for another vote. Ad infinitum ad nauseum.

Beerflavourednipples · 15/01/2019 11:58

The myth that leave voters will "get active" and do anything other shout a bit or post shit on Daily mail/facebook etc in the event of no brexit makes me laugh.

Why do you think it's a 'myth'? It's already happening isn't it, yellow vests, the harassment of Anna Soubry etc.

People will not like it if they feel like the only tiny bit of voice they had is taken away.

KC225 · 15/01/2019 11:58

No

Rosehip10 · 15/01/2019 11:58

@scaryteacher - I think the sort of people who think if there is no brexit there will be some sort of revolution are living in a dream world. Seeing people interviewed on the new in Stoke about brexit several said "if there is no brexit then I will NEVER vote again" - wow, scary and who cares.....

startingafresh1 · 15/01/2019 11:59

Yes. Ideally with clear facts as to what we are voting for.

Fatasfook · 15/01/2019 12:00

Voting is the very essence of a democracy- to suggest that having a vote is undemocratic is daft

Rosehip10 · 15/01/2019 12:00

@Beerflavourednipples "yellow vests" get real. You mean the few thugs hanging around Westminster who occasionally sit on Westminster bridge, the ring leader who has now been arrested? Yeah that is a real popular movement Confused

Helmetbymidnight · 15/01/2019 12:04

I don't know.

The Leave campaign over-spent and told outright lies - lies they admit to telling to win - loads of leavers still think Turkey is about to join EU. We don't know the full extent of Russian influence/money either. It was about as far from democratic as is possible to be!

There's a lot of 'project fear' coming from Leavers - or threats.

It is uneasy to see the far-right and racist leavers putting on the yellow vests and abusing MP's - we know they are thick and dangerous. Who knows what they'll do? Some of them really do see Brexit as a get-the-muslims-out, white-supremacist movement - So that's awkward.

Tartyflette · 15/01/2019 12:04

Not unless the rules are changed to require a 60/40 percent (or similar) result in any direction, to give a clear-cut decision.
As should have been the case in the first place.
Otherwise I’m afraid the chaos would continue.

Raffleeight · 15/01/2019 12:05

SilverySurfer Okay, sorry.

New title: AIBU in wanting another Brexit referendum?

Is that more appropriate?

Klobluchar · 15/01/2019 12:07

No. I want Brexit stopped altogether. The referendum was only advisory and politicians need to acknowledge that leaving would be terrible for the UK.

Beerflavourednipples · 15/01/2019 12:07

@Beerflavourednipples "yellow vests" get real. You mean the few thugs hanging around Westminster who occasionally sit on Westminster bridge, the ring leader who has now been arrested? Yeah that is a real popular movement

Sorry did you miss the 2011 riots? And they started all over the country just because of some loser drug dealer gangster in London.

mobyduck · 15/01/2019 12:09

NO.I want the idiots who insist on leaving to experience the fruits of their ignorance.

Original poster
simplesalvage · 15/01/2019 12:10

I feel that with referendums you do just keep asking until you get a different answer. I mean didn't we enter the EU on the back of a referendum years ago?

OP posts:
TheMatriarch · 15/01/2019 12:10

Yes, but this time making it clear what brexit means, and without the lies that the leave campaign relied on.
I can’t get my head round it being a democratic decision, when it simply wasn’t, the majority of people didn’t know what they were voting for.

Rosehip10 · 15/01/2019 12:11

@Beerflavourednipples The 2011 riots were mainly about wanton looting. I think if you asked the vast majority of people involved in that, they would say "what is brexit bruv?". You think the daily mail blue rinse brigade are going to March on London and burn it? As I said get real - are you preparing to riot or something?

Satsumaeater · 15/01/2019 12:12

I'm also Scottish and someone who thinks Scotland should remain in the UK. If the UK re-runs the EU referendum because they think we should have another chance at it, that's going to add massive fuel to the fire of the nationalists who want to re-run the 2014 independence referendum too, because they didn't like the result

Yes this as well. I don't want a precedent to be set.

mobyduck · 15/01/2019 12:12

The only good thing about Brexit is that those areas that were so vociferously Leave (South West, North, Wales) are ironically the areas that will suffer most from loss of EU funding and EU labour. They voted for their P45s! Enjoy!

Beerflavourednipples · 15/01/2019 12:13

NO.I want the idiots who insist on leaving to experience the fruits of their ignorance.

Yeah, I do feel like this a bit too, but I think it's just bitterness!

None of us knew anything about Brexit in 2016. I dont get the problem with having another referendum now that we have so many more facts and information to hand. Those who still want to leave are of course still free to vote that way.

Original poster
simplesalvage · 15/01/2019 12:13

Rosehip10 I think the point is it just takes one person to start and say it is because of Brexit and then you get everyone else who doesn't really care what they are rioting about joining in. The riot would still have been in the name of brexit.

OP posts:
Beerflavourednipples · 15/01/2019 12:16

I'm also Scottish and someone who thinks Scotland should remain in the UK. If the UK re-runs the EU referendum because they think we should have another chance at it, that's going to add massive fuel to the fire of the nationalists who want to re-run the 2014 independence referendum too, because they didn't like the result

But there is no new info with regards to the Scottish referendum. People would be voting with pretty much the same knowledge and information as they did before. We know so much more about what Brexit would mean now.

Beerflavourednipples · 15/01/2019 12:17

The 2011 riots were mainly about wanton looting. I think if you asked the vast majority of people involved in that, they would say "what is brexit bruv?".

Yes, the would have also said 'who is Mark Duggan bruv?'

ExplodedPeach · 15/01/2019 12:18

Yes, I would like another referendum.

The leave campaign broke electoral law in the law referendum, but they cannot nullify the results of it as technically it was not legally binding.

So I believe the ONLY democratic thing to do is have another referendum.

I'm not saying this because I am hoping it will change the outcome. I am hoping for an outcome that people can feel was fair and democratic and done with a better knowledge of the consequences. I would be at peace with the result whichever way it went.