'The Brexit Arms' is now open. Friendly cosy pub with log fire for leavers & remainers to chat & ponder life, the universe, & Brexit.

[surferjet]

You are all most welcome

Carry on reporting me you'll only miss me when I'm gone

Kaija : I am so obviously right about the source of parliamentary authority that you have to take refuge in pretending you don't understand it. Well - perhaps you genuinely don't. But I'm not going to take lectures on sovereignty from someone who think it derives from 'whatever MPs think is best for people'.

Straw man kaija. Bad an attempt to change the subject.

Have a sticker for your chart

No pretence, I can assure you. I have already said that our MPs are there to represent our interests, and yes you can call it parliament's authority if you like. This has nothing to do with the notion of enacting "the wishes" of the people. The people are not of one mind. Which is why we elect representatives.

In the case of the referendum, a small majority voted to leave, but we did not vote on the terms of leaving. This is down to parliament and our elected representatives to decide. And to say it is not is profoundly undemocratic.

Parliamentary authority derives from the British constitution just as, for instance, the US congress derives its authority from the US constitution.

Winchester there was no straw man there: you seem to be saying that our MPs should not be making judgments on our behalf. What is the alternative?

WW - you just don't get it. It is not about what you think. It is long established custom and practice. Our MPs are individuals. We elect people who we feel can represent us. They do not, and should not, slavishly follow the views of their constituents.

That is the UK system. Other systems are available. However, the UK has a representative democracy.

Kaija
Honestly, would you be happy if this ruling caused such chaos that Brexit doesn't happen at all? Would you really sleep well at night knowing what you've supported?

What an extraordinary view of parliamentary authority. No wonder remainers love the EU. Rammed with fats cats who think they know what's best for people they never see, never talk to, never read about, often ignore and sometimes disparage.

This is genuinely an insight into a profound faith in the nanny state, however huge, however unwieldy, however distant.

Bit of where does parliament derive its authority from? The people it represents? Or what its members think is best ie their own moral compass?

This is not 'what I think' it's been the basis for the authority of parliament for centuries.

Well surfer, given the effect on the pound alone, I'd say the judgment has been the first major event in the past few months to reduce the chaos that we're currently in.

WW - you may not like it - I don't- but that is the UK system. The system that Brexiters fought for.

I am baffled. You dislike the EU but you are equally dismissive of UK parliamentary democracy.

MPs have to make judgments on our behalf; but rarely we have made the judgment ourselves. They do not need to make a judgement on our behalf on this occasion.

Do you mind having a go at my question bitof

Well that's the beauty of it Winchester: you don't like their moral compass, you vote them out. That's how it works.

That's not answering my question.
See for all this talk I'd say the vast majority of remainers will be happy if this delays & eventually stops Brexit.
That's true isn't it?

But beyond their constituency work, MPs are still act as individuals. They don’t just represent the residents of a geographical locale or even the views of the public in general, but apply their own judgement to matters requiring decisions

Not at all kaija: the Bank of England inflation report this week raised growth forecasts with carney saying he'd been too gloomy and uk households were adjusting remarkably well. I think it could have been a feel good factor. So no - not chaos. Ask mark carney.

Think we need a poll surfer

I will go first

I will not be happy if this delays or stops brexit

So what is the judgment we've made re how (hard v. soft etc) we'll leave the EU (rather than just that we will leave)?

Because afaics we made no judgement beyond 'we will leave' and personally I'm not happy for Theresa May & co. just to fill in the blanks according to what they feel like on the day. I want Parliament involved.

The UK Parliament is representative. How many times do I have to type this? MPs are elected as individuals. Not members of partys, but individuals this is why an MP can cross the floor but remain an MP.

MPs do not slavishly follow the views of their constituents. They never have. That is not how UK Parliamentary democracy works.

Winchester, they most certainly do. The ballot paper said remain or leave. How we leave, what we are aiming for, is up to parliament.

Extraordinary.

I'm actually speechless.