If leaving is such a certain disaster then why did they give us a vote?

[3amEternal]

Seems bizarre to me. Surely if we go out and the sky falls down the government will be at fault for offering the option in the first place?

Leaving won't be a disaster, quite the opposite

I suppose the Tory remain lot thought the British people would acquiesce obediently.

David Cameron provided the vote ostensibly because he thought he would win and once the people had their say then the whole EU debate could be put to bed (unless he is a secret outer and this was always his dastardly plan - but I don't think there is enough evidence of that).

What he did not factor in was that the vote would occur when his popularity was waning as naturally happens to people who have been prime minister for a while and that European immigration would be blamed for his own unnecessary cuts leaving people with reduced quality of life

Thing is, if they genuinely were concerned that leaving would be an unmitigated disaster there is nothing to stop them saying "actually it's too volatile and we need to defer a decision". If they really cared about the country that is as opposed to their own political futures.

I don't believe that Brexit would lead to Scotland voting for independance, as the following article suggests www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/25/brexit-vote-scotland-out-uk-scottish-independence

Of course, and I'm sure that will bye the standpoint in the event of a brexit vote.

Well see soon enough I guess, but that link is from February and I don't think back then anyone seriously thought the UK would be where we are today! We live in interesting times!

I think the vote is legally binding. If the majority vote out, we're out.

I think it's far closer than Cameron thought it would be. Unsurprising really. He has no grasp of life as other people live it, so of course he never thought people might actually vote out. He wouldn't, why would they?

blogs.ft.com/david-allen-green/2016/06/14/can-the-united-kingdom-government-legally-disregard-a-vote-for-brexit/

Many more sources from BBC etc. But this FT blog explains quite well...

A brexit vote alone is apparently not legally binding in the slightest

Maybe David Cameron is smarter than he appears but I doubt it

The referendum is not legally binding. Parliament still has to pass the laws to extricate us from the EU (eg repealing the European Communities Act) and it has to be ratified by the House of Lords.

Having said that, I can't see how they would justify going against the result.

Seems bizarre to me. Surely if we go out and the sky falls down the government will be at fault for offering the option in the first place?

They offered the referendum because they know the sly will not fall in when we Leave.

If they had a really good compelling reason to stay in we would all be so impressed by it that we would all agree to Remain in the EU.

The problem for the Government is that there is no good reason for us to Remain.

And the Government knows that so it has to find a way of forcing us to stay in - so they start this Project Fear nonsense.

There are 28 countries in the EU.

There are 168 countries in the rest of the world.

The EU is declining as an economic area (it could even implode when the Eurozone finally collapses)

The rest of the world is growing - but we are not allowed to make trade deals with the rest of the world while we are shackled to the dying EU.

Cameron never thought he'd get a majority and have to actually have a referendum. Then he did, and since he'd promised it he didn't have a lot of choice.

Then they were far to complacent about the country's conservatism - after a decade of blaming the EU for everything (including, frequently, by him and his government) - and only now waking up to the realisation it'll even be close.

Why did he do a super quick "renegotiation" which got us very little and go for it now...... Why not walk away from negotiation and try later......or is there lots of bad news coming from July onwards which meant he would have been worried about remain winning. He's underestimated the anger in the population and has shown himself to be out of touch. Same could be said of the Labour Party. Pandora's box is well and truly open regardless of the outcome. If we remain watch the rise of ukip......

If leaving is such a disaster then why did they give us a vote

That is such a good question. Cameron offered us a vote because a lot of people wanted one. It got him into power and then he had to honour his pledge. That is British democracy and accountability in action. it's not a perfect system but it is what has made this country one of the best and safest places to live in the world.

But as the Tories will soon find out ta lot of people held their noses nd voted Tory at the last election just ecause Cameron promsed this election.

Those people will never, ever vote Tory again. I've met dozens of them. I've also met life-long Tories who say they will never vote Tory again after Cameron's antics.

Ironic really that Labour is saying REMAIN because they think they'll never gain power again when the evidence is starting to show they might. They'll find they've bound their own hands in Government by staying in the EU.

Refendum reports from Labours regional directors are " bad, very bad" " There is no point sugaring the pill"

So I guess remain even the conservatives thought there would be more support for remain among labour supporters.

But yes, its ridiculous and we were told the same thing re the Euro, Thank goodness we didnt shackle ourselves to that [phew emotion}

^^ indeed springing how ironic

They have always underestimated ukip and the suffering people are going through.

I agree with previous posters that they were expecting to be in coalition with the Lib Dems and could weasel out of any promises they had made as part of a coalition deal. That would have given them time to try and sort the issue out.
As it happened they got a majority, a clear majority. And Cameron fired the starting pistol on the race to replace him. MPs weren't slow in starting to jostle for position and they weren't feeling in danger from opposition.
It's all come up red when Dave bet on black.
The majority was a pyrrhic victory really.

The majority was a pyrrhic victory really

Lol I was typing exactly the same description on a different thread.

It's going to be a who blinks first scenario. If we vote leave the EU will then start to seriously negotiate to keep us in. We are the second biggest net contributors to the EU the EU has a lot to lose if we walk out. It's a classic business negotiation technique

I have never felt so confused or bewildered by a vote. I've always voted, even at the local elections, or something deemed trivial and at which there is a 15% turnout. And I will vote.

But right now I'm so torn and so filled with information from both sides I still don't know how to vote. And quite honestly, I'll be bloody glad when it's over.

Some very good points already made by PP.

I also think the Tories remembered their last referendum - the AV one in 2011 - that they were forced into by their Coalition partners, the Lib Dems. God it seems so long ago now. That time, they told their supporters how to vote, those supporters did as they were told and AV was rejected. Easy win for the Tories.

They just thought they could do the same this time. But what they didn't factor in was the dawning realisation from the general public of exactly how the EU and its policies impact their daily lives. I also think there's a Brexit mole working for C4 - the screening of that "How To Get A Council House" programme has won more Leave votes than Nigel Farage and Michael Gove combined.

So Corbyn is being a big girls blouse and Boris this is just about his ambitions

A referendum was offered to win the next election it was when the EU was more stable than it is now Europe is not what it was a year ago we have since then had the biggest refugee problem since WW2

I'm pretty sure that in DC's mind he was going to be hailed for his brilliant renegotiation, win over most of the eurosceptics in his party and lead a largely united Conservative parliamentary party to a victorious remain vote. I don't reckon he thought that many of his own cabinet colleagues would be campaigning against him.

Leaving wouldn't be a disaster if we had a coherent plan to deal with how we carry on out of the EU. Unfortunately we don't, and most of the best minds are not working out a comprehensive, constructive and , collaborative way forward. Therefore if we do all vote to leave now it'll be a disaster cos we DONT HAVE A PLAN!!