Another referendum is only unpopular with hardline, committed Leave voters, and those sick to their stomachs of the whole charade.
The ONLY vote we had in the referendum was Yes/No. Nothing else. Cameron et al in their vacant wisdom had prepared no plans for a Leave result, because despite saying that the vote would be 'free and fair' he almost instantly started campaigning vehemently for Remain. Which given he was already a hugely unpopular PM was never going to end well. A lot of people voted No just because they'd finally been given a say on something and their vote would actually count equally. A lot of that 'No' vote was pure protest against an elitist government by people who'd felt ignored for years. A lot of people didn't even vote. Take the whole UK population into account and only 39% voted Leave. Who's ignoring people now?
Add to that the fact (proven fact, not debate) that BOTH SIDES LIED. Continuously, repeatedly and unashamedly. Not one single British citizen knew exactly what they were voting for, because we had no real truth or detail at all. Literally none. Just a load of hype from both sides. We were voting in the dark. The close result showed that. It might as well have been the flip of a coin.
This 2.5 years has seen idiocy and farce the like of which has never been seen in the country before. We have reduced ourselves enormously on the world stage and become a laughing stock and an embarrassment. Our politics has been shown for the posturing shambles that it is. Our PM has done nothing but ignore everyone and spew the same exhausted dozen phrases, veiled threats and 'misleading' statements at every single stage. Two years wasted. Then a deal thrashed out in haste - a deal which suited no one. Now they are running down the clock to hope to force her deal through out of sheer fear. Great example of democracy at work. The crazy deal with the DUP proved that the Conservatives would do anything to stay in power, even be gripped firmly by the extremely hard fist of the DUP. They hold so much power it's frightening and utterly wrong.
Throughout the whole time since the vote, no one - NO ONE - has listened to the public, only to the extremists on all sides that the media has chosen to give air time to. The pundits, 'experts' and representatives who hoot and bray and lie and accuse and deny ad infinitum. No one asks us, the public, because each camp thinks things are close enough to claim they're right, and each is determined to get themselves across their arbitrary line to victory. However hollow that might become.
All the players in the Westminster game are winners because they do not inhabit the real world faced by ordinary people. The Leave movement is like a cult now, shouting slogans and demands and threats and getting more frightening by the day. Their followers repeat what they're told and get more and more fanatical. Open violence is being threatened now if they don't get what they want.
Those saying a second referendum would divide the country need to look outside and see the reality - we are already divided. It has been a classic, perfectly-executed case of 'divide and conquer' by this government, a clinical procedure to divide us into sects and set us against each other so that we're too busy fighting to see where the real responsibility lies, and too divided to join together to demand that they get their act together and do what is best for their citizens rather than themselves.
Do you think even one cabinet member or senior Tory will be seriously hurt by any Brexit result? No. They are just fine. They are already coining in on the chaos, manipulating the markets, moving assets and businesses, making sure they have a get out. Look at JRM and how he's moved things around so that he'll be protected. Millions will be being stashed away based on the money market uncertainty being cleverly manipulated every day. Anyone thinking that the political jaybirds of the Eton (and similar public school educated) crowd are working in the interests of the majority of ordinary Brits - whom they have literally nothing in common with - are deluding themselves. For them this is a game of power and prestige. If 5 million lose their jobs, 2 million starve and 30 million end up in abject poverty it won't affect them. We're just numbers. You only have to look at the cuts to public services, the treatment of the sick and poor, and the tax breaks given to big industry and business to see their priorities. None of us will win.
We can all now see some of the harsh reality of Brexit at least, which is better than the dark room we were in when we voted. We must now have a vote on what is actually likely to happen and the options that we have. It does not have to take 18 months. It can be done much quicker.
If the Leave crowd opposing the vote are so sure that "Leave means Leave" and that "this is what the British public voted for" and that "this is what the public want us to do" then why are they so opposed to a vote? Surely they're certain they'd win with an even bigger majority? A bigger majority would silence a lot of the arguing and at least show us a clear way forward.
The only way we can now come together is by delaying Article 50 while we vote. Any other course leaves us all bitter and divided.
(Imho)