Over the past few months I have felt uncomfortable about the idea of a second referendum on leaving the EU. While feeling passionately that the decision to leave was a flawed decision that will have profound negative consequences for our country, and particularly for the most vulnerable in our society, I was concerned that a second referendum would do little other than deepen the divisions and mistrust that have been raised by holding the referendum in the first place.
As time has gone on, however, I have become more and more convinced that a second referendum is the only way to get us out of the mess we have got ourselves into.
Now, with the deadline for leaving the EU (even with the promised extension) drawing near and the inability of our Parliament to reach any kind of consensus on the way forward, it seems to me that revisiting the democratic process and holding a second referendum could be what is needed to take us forward.
Since the referendum in 2016 (and to some extent even before that) it has become very clear that the leave campaign was built on lies and vested self-interest. The result itself was close and certainly did not represent the majority of the UK population. In particular, it is clear that it did not represent the young people of our country – the very ones who will inherit the results that we are scheduled to bring in.
The wranglings in Parliament seem to emphasise that both sides are more interested in political point scoring and their own interests than in what is good for our country and our people. There seems little hope that, even with an extension, Theresa May will be able to get agreement on a deal that will work both for us and for the EU.
While I felt that respecting the results of the referendum was appropriate in that it was a democratic process, the flaws and lies behind the campaign have made me seriously question how democratic it was. To vote on a question without having the details or any real information of what the consequences might be was deeply misleading. A decision made 3 years ago should not be binding when both circumstances, details, and opinions have changed. After all, it is part of our democratic process to hold elections at a maximum every 5 years. So, to re-canvas the opinion of the people now would not be in any way undemocratic. Parliament has respected the outcome of the first referendum in taking negotiations forward; having done so, it would now seem appropriate to go back to the people with the deal on the table, greater clarity of what it would look like and the potential impact of the options.
We now have an opportunity to make our voice heard.
Since being lodged last month, a petition, ‘Revoke article 50 and remain in the EU’, has gained well over 3,000,000 signatories. That equates to nearly 5% of the UK population, and it appears to be growing by the hour.
I have added my name to the petition and would encourage all of you who are UK residents and eligible to vote to do the same.
Sign the Petition Now
Let us value and use our democratic processes.
Real democracy rests on an informed electorate who are able to make their decision in full knowledge of the consequences. We know so much more now than we did during referendum fever in 2016 that it only makes sense to revoke article 50, and review the situation. But slogans, shouting and name-calling won’t help. Readiness to listen would give us more space to think.
Hi Peter
To say the Leave “was built on lies and vested self-interest” kind of implies that Leave voters are stupid, an accusation Leave voters have had to put up with since 2015, along with ‘bigot’ and ‘racist’ and being called ‘gammon faced’ etc. *1
This is because practically all of the Establishment (media, education, politics, the civil service etc) is pro-Remain. It doesn’t make Remain ‘right’ but it does make Remainer loud and aggressive. Remain had all of that on its side, along with significant resources, such as the £9million leaflet to every household (nb Remainers were fined by the Electoral Commission), the President of the USA telling us we would be at the back of the queue (which obviously backfired), endless derision and sarcasm and disdain from EU politicians. Leave was out-gunned, shouted down and ridiculed. And yet … enough people held their conviction and voted Leave. Good for them.
You wrote “I was concerned that a second referendum would do little other than deepen the divisions and mistrust that have been raised by holding the referendum in the first place.” You know that this is precisely what will happen, so what has happened to your ‘concern’?
The impact of a second referendum would be non-stop negativity leaving bruises on society for years. This is likely to be more profound than a potential negative economic shock of a no-deal Brexit. I am sure you understand all this fully – yet you want a re-run. Why oh why? The impact of a cancelled Brexit will be shattering for our country. And it will solve nothing, especially if the vote is again close.
The government should be bringing our people together not making them go through all that again. It would be an act of national self-harm.
People knew what Leave meant. There are endless videos of politicians explaining in great detail the dire consequences of Leave. Similarly, we were told clearly that this was a once in a lifetime decision. We knew and we still wanted to Leave!
*1 Did you know that this has got so bad that there are social meet-ups all over the country for Leavers?
PS – the 3,000,000 million signatures: earlier today I checked the data, only around 1 million have come from the UK:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/241584.json
Of the UK votes, I have no doubt there will be duplicate votes.
Thanks Tony. I apologise for any implied criticism of leave voters – the criticism was directed to those leave campaigners who blatantly told lies and had clear vested interests, not any voters. Those I have spoken with have always been thoughtful and, while they may hold different views to mine, have approached their decisions because they believe it is in the best interest s
… Of our country to leave. I may disagree but that doesn’t mean I don’t want those views to be heard and expressed clearly without being distorted.
Absolutely agree – my thoughts exactly
I’ve signed
Jeanette
It’s about time Parliament and MPs stop behaving like kindergarten kids and work together with all parties for a solution, and not for self gain etc. You all need your heads banged together. Regardless of what you all think of each other you are all there to do a job and at present its not being done. Therefore I don’t think its right to leave the EU at present.
Thanks for explaining your change of position so clearly, Pete. I can’t say I was so relaxed about honouring the results of the referendum. I have always been more than a little concerned about the ferocity of those who continue to insist that “Leave means Leave”. They seem to want to exit the EU as fast as they can, despite all of the harm it will inevitably do to our country, for little more than the fact that “they won”! The analysis, all of which points to a serious downturn in our economy, which will impact the poorer members of society the worst, seems irrelevant to them. Those who shout loudest that we have to go because the results of the (flawed) referendum said we should appear to have nobody’s interests at heart but their own.
Totally agree Peter and I’ve signed too. Those shouting for democracy in honouring the referendum seem very reticent about further demonstrating the ‘democracy’ they value so much by having a vote to check if it is still what the current voting population desires.
Real democracy rests on an informed electorate who are able to make their decision in full knowledge of the consequences. We know so much more now than we did during referendum fever in 2016 that it only makes sense to revoke article 50, and review the situation. But slogans, shouting and name-calling won’t help. Readiness to listen would give us more space to think.