To wonder why people thought this was a brexit referendum?

[LiquidSwords]

I'm not an expert on European politics (seems I'm one of few people willing to actually admit that, even though it's probably true for most of us), so if this vote was to elect MEPs, why does it matter if they are for or against Brexit?

The job of an MEP isn't to negotiate or fight against our leaving, is it? Isn't it just to vote on EU matters on behalf of GB? So why are so many people going on about leave/remain "winning"? Is this proof that the general public are too ignorant/easily manipulated to be trusted with major political issues? Or am I missing something obvious here?

Probably because there hasn't been another actual referendum. I'd argue Brexit's the main focus of politics at the moment regardless of whether you're leave or remain. At this point, any vote is a chance to have a say about it.

It's like By-elections or local elections. It's a chance for the populaion to let the Government know how they feel about them in general. It ha always been like this, that any mid-term vote reflects on the people's disaffection or otherwise with the governing body.

If you were happy with the way the Government were performing overall, you would have voted Tory, and if you weren't you would vote for another party, depending upon the normal things.

Atm, Brexit is all-consuming, and many people have chosen this vote to tell the Gov that they're unhappy. Many people have gone further, and used it to indicate exactly what they're unhappy about, namely their handling of the EU Question.

It's like By-elections or local elections. It's a chance for the population to let the Government know how they feel about them in general

Right. The public at large generally don't understand local elections and just waste their vote by voting for whichever party they like best for the GE, even though that's not really relevant at a local level. So the same is true here, right? People voting based on emotion for something that is largely irrelevant.

They don’t have a second brain cell to run against the first.

*rub

^what More said

I don’t think people are treating it as a second referendum. But a point is being made by Leavers.

I don’t think people are treating it as a second referendum

No? There are threads full of people literally saying "Leave won" and "Remain won".

It is an indicator of public opinion I suppose.

Along the same lines I never understood why it was never the focus that some of the very people voted to represent us at the EU were actively against the concept and wanted out. We were hardly going to get the best out of it with people like that in post were we?

Farage and his ilk were more than happy to take the money though weren’t they?

I voted for the one I agreed with most, policy wise, regardless of Brexit stance. At the local elections I voted for the one with the best stance on local issues (we have a major pollution issue and only one of the candidates said anything at all about tackling it) even though I wouldn't give their party control of the whole country.

That a limited company with no policies or manifesto took 30% of the vote has to say something about general intelligence in this country. I despair.

It’s a bellweather. Not an exact guide but an indication. Whatever election came next it’d have been looked at like that. At least it’s the European election, so the issues overlapped significantly.

Spain’s using the elections at the weekend in a similar way to try to give shape to the recent rather inconclusive general election result.

Here, I thought the turnout might have the up by a more significant amount than it did.

With Wales was a protest vote our NHS in dire straits, babies dying in maternity units, cancer waiting lists up to 18 weeks, hospital boards in special measures. Education teaching assistants re moved, education budgets slashed. Labour in power for 20 years, wring their hands and do nowt.

But a point is being made by Leavers

What point? That they still want to leave?

Okaaaaay!

European elections are irrelevant - one way or another in 5 months' time these MEPs will be out of a job. It was entirely a vote for the party most likely to deliver the right type of brexit, hence the non-confidence vote in tories and Labour.

Well we were electing mep's who are meant to only be in place for 6 months and not interfere with EU business so other than as a proxy referendum it was a pretty pointless vote

I think people on both sides have used it to make a point.

Especially since the elected MEPs aren’t likely to sit in the European Parliament for very long, even more than usual it’s less about who’s best for that particular job and more about making a political statement.

And I think the overwhelming message is that the country is utterly fed up of the two main parties, but is still irrevocably divided on the way forward.

I hope that Labour take it as a message that they need to actually have a coherent stance on the whole Brexit issue. And I wish that the Tories would get the message that everyone on both sides of the brexit debate is absolutely sick of them squabbling and bickering amongst themselves. Unlikely though, since the tantruming toddlers who now spend several months fighting between themselves over the leadership contest.

We live in a democracy. But it is a limited democracy. We get a national vote every few years, an EU vote and local elections. Other than that we can lobby or petition or protest. People use what is available to them to get their voices heard. Some of those still wanting Brexit used this to be heard. Some of those that are still remain used it to be heard.

I voted for the party I'd want to represent me if we stay in the EU.

Either way there is no good way out of this. Whatever happens a significant minority will feel let down and angry or the majority will.

Because it's easy to use it to make that point, without affecting the other issues which would normally govern the choice of vote.

See UKIP previously - loads of support in locals which then translated to nothing in a GE. Partly because of FPTP but also the way people think about these kind of elections.

Also a low turnout overall - the people bothering to come out in order to send a protest Brexit party vote in this election are quite dwarfed by the number who didn't bother, but would vote Tory/Labour in a GE.

didn't bother voting, am totally indifferent to politics these days.

title - because so many people are a bit dim to the point of being dangerous, even on some of the mn threads today.

Our turnout was very low compared to many countries. Why are we so reluctant to vote. My dad always said if you don`t vote you get the result you deserve so cannot complain.

Compared to other countries we are pretty switched off.

no one actually thought that but it's the only thing we had and the gains in lib dem and green show it

No one said it directly, we should not even be having this vote so in that respect it with that in mind it was kind of inferred to be a gauge of opinion.

As it is, its a still a shit show and its still as split as it was before, no one side can make a claim things have changed in one direction or the other.

You can't polish a turd, but there is a lot of people on both sides rolling it in glitter.