Has anybody changed their mind about how they voted?

[fakenamefornow]

It seems not many people have?

None of the people voting Leave and regretting it would have mattered if there hadn't been the stupid panic next day and Cameron's resignation. If he'd held his nerve and said that the result was close but there is a slight move to want out, and we'd look at the options in depth, maybe with a cross party enquiry, or royal commission, and then report back, some sensible compromise with the rest of the EU might have been able to be agreed, which would have satisfied a majority.

Instead May jumped at her chance to become PM, and totally appeased the right wing, and immediately ruled out options like staying in the EEA, which would have satisfied the letter of the desire to opt out of the EU but kept many benefits.

I have heard it countless times in rl and on tv. Polling suggests it was a huge factor and many things I've read on mn by leavers suggest it was the biggest factor.

Immigration, that is.

quite like the myth as it makes them appear better people for being on the good side.

Yeah, attention-seeking Remaniacs who have reported personal experiences on this very thread are just making it up

One thing which I have to say I only just clocked (literally when reading this thread), and its well over a year now - I have never actually heard a leaver in RL say 'I want all x people to go home'.

Nice try, GardenGeek. Have a look at some of the Brexit groups on Facebook. You won't have to look very hard to find the racism or the demands for people to 'go home'. Also, you will not find the racism being challenged. I'm not talking about hardline groups like Britain First, EDL, National Front etc. (Brexit supporters all), but more 'moderate' Leave groups. Of course not all leavers are racist, but to claim you've never heard a leaver in RL to say they want people to 'go home' is disingenuous to say the least.

Most people don't spend all their lives in EU Ref pages though.

Most people are not so utterly consumed about Brexit that it takes over their lives in such a way.

Most people are comfortable in their vote are accepting of the result & want the best possible outcome for Brexit.

Sadly, a vocal minority on each side of the fence continue to be confrontational, and/or offensive & are resolute in their determination to keep bumping their gums about it at every opportunity.

For most, life goes on.

Blair's original estimate for the number of EU migrants was 13,000. Over a million arrived after he gave unlimited access in 2004. This is about basic arithmetic not race.

I remember a recent survey showing a sizeable percentage of remain voters favouring more control over immigration, but I'll be damned if I can find it! I know my remain voting mum would like stricter immigration controls, more so than me who voted to leave.

Reducing immigration didn't factor a jot in my vote; immigration has only enriched my life and I have no desire to see it squashed (which is an impossible task any way, whatever some people might want, Cameron's figures of getting the numbers below 100,000 were pie in the sky imo).

We (and all developed economies) need a healthy level of immigration (because birthrates are plummeting and people are living longer). We're blessed and fortunate that we live in the kind of country people want to move to (unlike Russia and Japan). But we have to be able to control numbers, otherwise it causes unsustainable pressure on infrastructure, wages and community relations.

KilGore - what makes you think people don't want to move to Japan? they have low migration but not due to lack of demand

What are the net migration numbers to Japan, Russia, Bulgaria?

MichaelFabricant I don't doubt that plenty of people of whatever political persuasion, rightly or wrongly, want restrictions on immigration for perceived reasons passim.

That's a separate kettle of fish to a wide-eyed innocence claiming that "I have never actually heard a leaver in RL say 'I want all x people to go home'." followed by implications that this is a fabrication by one's political opponents in order to somehow oppress them or for deviant self-gratification.

Japan is a country that limits inward migration - demand for living there exceeds supply of citizenship for which the bar is set very high compared with European countries.

Japan doesn't encourage immigration and also has a problem with an aging population. Guess who will be staying at home to look after the elderly?

Japan is screwed. 32,000 centenarians, a birth rate well below replacement minimum and no immigration to speak of.

Japan is definitely not screwed as you put it - they have issues to overcome like all countries but have chosen not to solve aging demographics with mass migration. Their choice.

I voted leave. I don't "admit" it. Admission implies guilt or regret.

I don't push my political opinions on anyone but I would declare (not "admit") that I voted out if asked.

I'm not satisfied with the way it's going so far and I hope to see things improve and settle. But for anyone to judge the outcome of the vote on the tiny amount of time that has elapsed since is, frankly, naïve.

Naïve it is too for any out voters to not expect pain and upheaval as we withdraw.

Theelementssong agreed. I had to Google search the word passim though; every day's a learning day

The only thing about immigration that makes my head hurt is trying to work out how you balance a growing economy/aging population with the possibility of ending up with a big ol' ponzi scheme.

MichaelFabricant The only thing about immigration that makes my head hurt is trying to work out how you balance a growing economy/aging population with the possibility of ending up with a big ol' ponzi scheme.

I agree, it's complicated.

What I'm pretty sure of though, is that anyone who says there's an easy answer (whether it's "kick 'em all out" or "cap the numbers to 173 per year" or "only highly-skilled migrants allowed" or "nothing good has ever come from immigration" or, conversely, "all immigration is an unalloyed good") is a mendacious fool.

TheElementsSong I agree with you. Again.

The only thing about immigration that makes my head hurt is trying to work out how you balance a growing economy/aging population with the possibility of ending up with a big ol' ponzi scheme

The only solution is to have a healthy level of controlled immigration focusing on the skills your economy needs most. It certainly isn't allowing unlimited numbers of unskilled or low skilled workers in.

Is there a country anywhere in the world that has a balanced or as you say healthy immigration policy ie economic needs met/no ponzi scheme yet is humanist in nature?

Not being facetious, genuine question. I have little knowledge of global immigration policies.

I honestly thought the UK was getting this about right up until 2004. A tolerant, fair, welcoming, democratic nation with fairness and decency at its core...attracting migrants from all over the globe. We want to continue this spirit. But not give unlimited access to all and sundry from 27 nations (for no other reason than they are in the same continent and part of some FrancoPrussion plot to protect their own interests).