No Nigel, I'm afraid you are wrong. The EU did not exist until the Maastricht Treaty was created in 1993, and by signing it, Margaret Thatcher took us into it, without any kind of public consultation, in the same way that Edward Heath took us into the Common Market. It wasn't until Wilson replaced him that people had a chance to vote on whether to remain, which they did by a very much larger majority than that in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

The distinction is not pedantic. Leaving the EU does not have to mean leaving the Single Market, as is demonstrated by Norway. We did not have an opportunity to vote about doing that, the referendum in 2016 merely indicated a narrow majority (among those voting) for leaving the EU, but indicated nothing about our views on the Single Market.

I voted to Remain, but if I had had an option to vote for leaving the EU but remaining in the Single Market I would very likely have voted for that. I have no doubt that those who voted to leave included some who shared that preference.lm