The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #164605   Message #3966706
Posted By: McGrath of Harlow
16-Dec-18 - 08:09 PM
Thread Name: Brexit #2
Subject: RE: Brexit #2
3)Abandon BREXIT entirely (BREXIT EXIT) as though the first referendum had gone the other way AND make it a 2/3 or 3/4 majority for any future single choice referendum to leave.(assuming the EU will have you).

The second part of that would be impossible. A future parliament could always repeal any legislation that attempted to bind it in that way. Parliament always has the right to repeal or reverse any legislation, it's a fundamental part of our democracy.

I still haven't heard any justification for the assertion that a referendum at this time, giving a second chance to the people to decide what should happen, would be "a betrayal of democracy", with its implication that Ireland and Denmark betrayed democracy in similar circumstances in giving its electorate a opportunity of thinking again, and that those countries are less committed to democracy than this one is.

Actually the principle that is involved is the same as that in the previous paragraph. Just as parliament cannot bind itself in its future action, nor can the voters. That's why we can vote the other way in any election - and a referendum is really just a different kind of election.

The argument that if the decision in a fresh referendum was to remain, the minority who had voted for Brexit would call for a third one, doesn't stand up to critical examination. Yes, of course they might, and they'd have every right to do so. That's what those calling for us to leave the EU had been doing for years, calling for a vote to reverse the previous referendum which had confirmed our membership of what was then the Common Market. And, as with the 2016 referendum, those who had won would do everything they could to stop that dream and being successful. All part of our imperfect democratic process.