Shall also make these points:
Yes, the result was a democratic one...
But how democratic was it really when the Brexit campaign broke referendum rules and repeatedly lied and mislead the public? That undermined our democracy and raises legal questions over the validity of the result.
(This isn't scare mongering, it's been clearly acknowledged that this happened.)
Secondly, putting aside that question for a moment, the vote was so unbelievably close that while recognising the leave campaign one, half the country lost, which means half of us are against the policy. A true democracy would recognise and acknowledge that opposition wasn't going to melt away and a giid government would work to alleviate concerns becoming reality.
The vote didnt give an overwhelming mandate. The same point would stand if the Stay campaign had one by the same amount.
Thirdly, no I don't subscribe to the idea that leave voters were comprised of many stupid people. I do believe that the vote was swung by people who didn't take the Referendum seriously though. Large numbers of people spoke out in shock after the vote to say they voted leave as a joke or because they wanted to register the dissatisfaction they felt with the government of the time and they saw the Referendum as an opportunity to register a demand for change.
Finally, I believe the right wing press bears huge responsibility for the outcome of the vote after years of peddling lies and spin (also well documented) about the EU. Those currently in power have been governing by divide and rule and they're still doing it. While we fight amongst ourselves or get worked up by the latest hyped up distractions, our hard won rights and freedoms are being eroded with each year.
We haven't been less free than this in a century and like the boiled frog, most won't realise until its too late.
In the technological age, its going to be much harder to win those rights back.