If we just cancelled Brexit....

[GraceGrape]

...do you think there would really be that much fuss?

I posted on the id card thread that it would be much less hassle if we could just cancel Brexit. It got me wishful thinking that this could actually be possible!

Even the most ardent leavers are starting to downplay its likelihood of success. Key figures like Gisela Stuart have admitted it's all been handled disastrously. The economy is starting to look a bit shit before we've even left. According to the pro- leave camp, we all apparently knew there would be a recession but it would still be "worth it" if you're independently wealthy like Garage, IDS or Bojo maybe.

Anyway, I think it would be typically British if we just harrumphed a bit and said "Well, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. The referendum was only advisory y'know."

As a nation, we don't tend to like big changes so I think a lot of people would be secretly relieved. There might be a bit of grumbling, and maybe Farage would leave the country in disgust as an added bonus. We could then sweep it under the carpet and pretend it never happened, as the Brits tend to do with some of the more unsavoury parts of our history anyway. It would also save us the humiliation of seeing David Davis try to do any more negotiating.

This is what I dream of. I actually don't think there'd be lots of fuss,for most Leavers it could be another thing to grumble about,a bit like the weather.

Perhaps it would be more acceptable if it was postponed which may or may not morph into a Volte face down the line....

I think democracy and the respect for it would be severely damaged and you would be in danger of riots in pro-Brexit areas as people still feel very strongly about it.

Personally I think it has been handled incredibly badly and will not come out as most Brexiteers hoped but to cancel it would just tell the people who felt they were not being listened to that they really are not being listened to

It could be, according the man who wrote Article 50 and Brussels. I'd love it if it was. I think it's madness to leave, and I think this is becoming increasingly obvious to more and more people.

If we could just ignore the stink the Farage types would kick up, it would be fine.

I wish.
Do you think if we had another referendum now it would be a different result?

I voted remain. But more people voted to leave. We can't just ignore a vote we don't agree with.
I would be hugely relieved if we could though. But. Democracy!

It's not the Leave voters' fault that it's been handled disastrously. The government shouldn't have called a referendum if they had no plan for what to do if the vote didn't go the way they wanted, and David Cameron shouldn't have been a coward by resigning immediately and leaving everyone else to take the fall.

But it being handled poorly doesn't mean that the popular vote should be invalidated. The majority voted to leave. That cannot be undone. You can't just say, "Well, this has been a shit fest so I think we ought to just forget it ever happened" and expect it to actually happen like that.

I'd crack open the champers!

I've always said that 1) it should never have gone to a referendum, and 2) 52:48 isn't enough of a majority for such a massive constitutional change. I'm not going to do the sums because I've forgotten how to work it out but I'd guess it's not even a statistically significant majority.

The whole thing is a complete fiasco.

Shoes There were 1.3m more votes for Leave than Remain.

I'd be very relieved.
I still feel bitter that the winning campaign was based on lies and many people didn't know what they were voting for. Like someone on MN said at the time, there'd be more care taken handling a divorce that would only affect a handful of people than was taken over this almighty great big massive decision that will affect millions of people and probably have far reaching consequences for many years to come.

Given the Leavers lied and the economy is suffering and we can see the impact its having on other countries (Ireland - economy next door, quite integrated and not long past some pretty horrendous violence - who knew?) I would like a re-evaluation. I think that it should be a vote on the deal though. Brexiters lied and promised the earth. There should be a chance for voters to approve the truth of the deal.

I'm well aware of the result, Superbeagle.

There are many examples in democratic parliaments where referenda require a larger vote than 51.9%.

See here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermajority

*Require a larger than 51.9% of the vote to enact change, that is. This is such a huge constitutional change that has threatened the rights and jobs of people actually living here, and that almost half the voters did not want.

I would like it left as an unresolved issue that has been parked with the consent of both "sides" with the understanding that it can be returned to if certain conditions are met.

The part of the Good Friday Agreement that deals with re-unification might be a good blueprint

It always seemed odd to me why people believed Boris, IDS, Farage etc! Why would you? They discredited the Governor of the Bank of England and anyone who
put forward an alternative view. It will make little difference to them! Why are people so gullible?

Actually I think I know the answer. They are ostriches! Head in the sand and hoping for an alternative life where no-one sullies the sunny uplands of the UK and we will rule the world again from our own little outpost in Northern Europe! The truth is that inflation is Increasing, we are not selling more abroad even it's a very favourable exchange rate, the EU is a better negotiator, wages are in a rut, business is at a standstill and may contract which means job losses will ensue, houses are not selling and we can't afford holidays abroad any more! It ok though because Doris from Boston in Lincolnshire has never been out of the country and has no intention of ever meeting any foreigner, except the ones that are over here taking our jobs (that we don't want to do!) or even keeping the NHS afloat.

The shambles started with the Tory party agitating about Europe in the 1980s and Thatcher handbaggjng them! EU Animosity has never gone away in the Tory ranks and this is the result. Cameron gave in to them and was scared of UKIP. Half of whom were labour voters anyway! If only he had known that! It is a fiasco and a shambles and I feel ashamed to be British and belong to such a gullible stupid nation of manipulated voters! Rant over! Must go to bed now!

If we cancel brexit now we would end up with a parliament full of ukip wankers at the next election & end up doing this all over again

The consequences of not following the vote when a single question is put to the electorate for decision is a step towards dictatorship that I would not want to see UK ever take.

On this or on any other issue.

But it being handled poorly doesn't mean that the popular vote should be invalidated

it wasn't just 'handled poorly', it was based on a pack of lies.

another referendum would not be a step towards dictatorship but rather a confirmation of democracy imo. farage said the brexiters would not accept a close margin and thst is what the vote to brexit was. another ref please...i voted remain but accepted the brexit vote but things are getting silly now. new referendum requiring a clearer margin please

Thankfully, Brexit can't just be cancelled. We live in a democratic country; what is it with so many remain voters (and I voted remain, btw) wanting to say "fuck democracy! I want things my way!"?

If you want to live in a fair, just and democratic society, you have to be able to understand that things won't always go your way.

I voted remain though my hubby voted leave but to suggest we have another vote and require a larger margin to leave is ludicrous! What should the margin be and what happens if there is another vote to leave but only just gets to that margin? Also if Brexit is cancelled I know my hubby would be angry and feel disenfranchised not sure quite how more than half the country being ignored politically would end up.

We dream about this too.

Our little business is already going under, and it will fully disappear upon exit I believe. We import/export.

To most of Europe, it's easy peasy. To Norway, bloody pain the arse. Customs and paperwork are a nightmare, import duties etc.

I spoke to a lovely customer we have out there. She said Norway still have to abide by many of the EU rules, that importing is a nightmare, that things cost a fortune over there, and certain items are restricted (pushing up prices), and the only reason they were voted happiest country is because they are rich as a country from oil.

So all those saying, we'll just be like Norway, well, it doesn't sound fun to me. Plus there's only 5 million in Norway vs our 65 million.

As Barry Gardiner said on question time, we're leaving the EU for political reasons, not economical ones.

If Norway wanted to join the EU, they could, but obviously they don't.

Annulling the outcome if a referendum, and putting it to the public until they return the 'right' result is however a hallmark of a dictatorship.

Just because you might agree on the single issue does not make it anything other than an assault on democracy.