AIBU to be angry at surprised Brexit voters?

[pestov]

Victoria Derbyshire has been chatting to voters all morning, and more than one admitted voting to leave, but being shocked and worried about the resulting political turmoil. What did they think was going to happen!? I just can't understand their logic.

I agree, OP.

I absolutely respect those who arrived at a decision to vote 'Leave' through a considered thought process, and who then voted Leave because they wanted the UK to leave the EU.

I am irritated to the point of tooth-grinding by those who either didn't think, and are now surprised by the most obvious of consequences, or who didn't want the UK to leave but still voted for it.

I saw two things on FB yesterday -

"If we leave the EU does that mean we won't be Great Britian anymore or have a Union Jack?"

"I haven't a clue, just voted out because everyone else was!"

Fucking joke.

It is extraordinary that after weeks and months during which economists and business people lined up to warn of the consequences of leaving, and the pound rose and fell in direct correlation with the polls, that some people are apparently genuinely surprised about what's happened this morning. FFS!

It proves, what many suspected, that Brexiteers had no idea of the political, social and economic consequences of their vote.

That's why it was one of the biggest follies in British history to allow a referendum to a general population who have no grasp of economics.

My colleague voted leave and is now expressing surprise, and stated that she wouldn't have voted leave if she'd thought it would "actually count." It was a protest vote for her.
Not quite grasping how a democracy works, then.

I was beyond furious with the school bus stop crowd this morning (perhaps not a bad thing as it meant I said nothing which was probably best) when they were called out by their own children and embarrassed to admit that they had voted leave - stand up and be counted! Take some responsibility! It's like Gove and Johnson suddenly saying take your time, there's no rush, don't invoke article 50 for a while ... really?!???! Despise Cameron though I may, I understand the rationale of well you voted, you make it work.

YADNU. And yes to person upthread who said there should have been a minimum threshold to actually trigger an exit. Another mistake by stupid Cameron.

Yes, this is why such referendums are best not done. Or at least they should require an actual majority (of all registered voters), or a 2/3 majority for any big change like this.
Any silly vote for government can be corrected in 4/5 years. Leaving is definitive.

Those were my thoughts earlier. But then I wondered if a 2/3 majority was required and the result was 52/48 Remain, how would that work? Would we have to leave?

My personal opinion is that we have been continually let down by our government, not the EU. And that holding this referendum was our government yet again not leading the country and not acting in our interests.

The UK has been so focused on the SE for so long, the rest has been left to rot. Scotland wanted a referendum on leaving, the govt made all sorts of promises to get them to stay...and now they are dragging Scotland out of the EU with them.

NI has been dismissed repeatedly, despite it being the country that will be most affected by this. I believe there is a very real prospect of the troubles returning. My children have been sold up the river.

I have no idea what the answers are. But today I feel really betrayed and let down by the UK government.

Palcum: I liked 'Before the EU we had a car industry, we'll have one again if we vote to leave'

It's really astonishing the number of people who voted out who didn't think it would happen. This is not Strictly Come Dancing.

Hmm. I see the odd comment saying Remain lost because it shouldn't have pushed Project Fear. Let's see. It's been less than 12 hours, the value of several banks has fallen by 20%, the value of the pound fell to its lowest level in 30 years, petrol prices will go up after the weekend, the value of building companies has fallen by 40%, Scotland is demanding a new independence referendum, Sein Finn is demanding the same for NOrthern Ireland, the PM has resigned and there's about to be a vote of no confidence in the leader of the opposition. Yes, the Remain campaign really got it wrong.....

I can't imagine what going to happen now. Heard this guy from A Leave area saying how UK could now go back to the former glory by manufacturing great things by attracting German and other EU investors o manufacture here and blah blah. Until the LBC host pointed out EU treaty is not going to let that happen. The poor Leave voter was so shocked he couldn't say a word

I was angry. Now I'm feeling a bit spiteful tbh and think if they're stupid enough to vote so blindly then frankly they deserve everything they get. Twazzocks. Just sorry we're now all in this stinking pile of rotting faeces together. I'm aware of how this makes me sound. I admit that this really has brought out the worst in me and I'm not proud of it.

And actually, reading this back I can still see I'm angry.

Anyway, yanbu op.

I'm not saying they got it wrong, I'm saying a fully negative campaign does not win votes.

And they lost.

There were plenty of educated Leave voters.

Nevertheless, 72% of graduates voted to remain. Within those educated to GCSE level or less, it was more like 32%. There's an undeniable correlation between your level of education and your likely vote.

Manon it does remind me of reality show voting. Many people have clearly voted for superficial reasons, or reasons wholly unconnected to the EU, without giving it any proper thought.

will Brexiters take responsibility for the economic fallout?

What do they think will happen and how they packaged saying it, two completely different things.

Remain ran a bad campaign.

I have always been amazed that the subject of how our government works is considered too unimportant to be taught at school....perhaps we are seeing the consequences...

You wouldn't have asked any of these morons who voted leave to design a building, diagnose an illness or argue a legal case.

Why then are they allowed to make a decision on a national issue that was beyond their comprehension and capability? Is that not what we elect (supposedly) competent public servants to do?

I do feel angry but mainly towards the deliberate lies that were told by the Leave campaign. Some people genuinely believed they were voting for £350 million to the NHS. Now that's a 'mistake' or rather, a calculated distortion and awful lie. We've handed the NHS to people like Gove and Johnson who will destroy it. I won't feel angry with people who voted genuinely believing the lies, I will reserve my anger for the establishment which misled them so grievously.

*What do they think will happen and how they packaged saying it, two completely different things.

Remain ran a bad campaign.*

I think remain told the truth - its not perfect, but leaving will be disasterous for the economy.

Leave lied. Repeatedly.

I think it is always hard selling 'it will be pretty much like it is at the moment' when the person against you is selling tinsel and unicorns.

Then when you say 'it won't be tinsel and unicorns, it will actually be blood, sweat and tears', people WANT to believe in the tinsel and unicorns because it sounds so much more attractive...

Love the way remain voters claim all leave voters made an uneducated vote-I made a very educated decision to vote leave burban
the levels of snobery fromy the remain camp.has just reinforced my beliefs further that it was the right move. I have seen remarks about the elderly the poor it's disgusting. Talk about racism the remaining camp are just high lighting what nasty beliefs they really hold.
And every leave voters I've spoken to is confident and happy with there decision

I'm pleased we're out- I believe it will be better in the long run.

I have seen remarks about the elderly the poor it's disgusting.

Whereas Leave voters just decided to make the poor poorer. Yeah, that's much kinder.