Who Believes A Word That This Man Says?

[Togo]

I see that Bliar is still agitating, despite all the evidence that the out vote has not damaged Britain in the slightest, but has in fact given the whole Country a much needed boost. He tells the French that we might change our minds. Still deluded then.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/britain-could-stay-in-eu-if-public-opinion-shifts-says-tony-blair/ar-AAinf7A?li=BBoPWjQ&ocid=iehp

[jno]

Brexit hasn't even started yet, so you know no more about the future than Blair does. He says Britain will probably leave, and he's probably right.

[jim360]

You're welcome to interpret the economic mood since the vote as positive but this is, at the very least, not definitive. It could equally be what's referred to as a "dead cat bounce". What is true is that the sky hasn't fallen in yet, although the statement "we haven't fallen into massive depression!" is not a ringing endorsement of anything really.

Let's wait unti (a) when the actual estimates for overall economic performance in the last few months come out, which I think is October and (b) Brexit actually happens rather than is just vaguely talked about.

Returning to the OP, Blair's statement is true but a bit empty. I mean, I hope you would agree that public opinion may shift and, if so, it should be listened to. But it's also a question for later -- again, once the actual nature of Brexit is properly understood. At the moment there's little motivation to change anybody's mind about In or Out, except possibly the minds of those people who made the decision too lightly and felt that the nightmare couple of days immediately following the vote was enough to judge the state of the country for years and years to come.

[ToraToraTora]

the remainiacs are still disturbed that the public gave the "wrong" answer in the referendum and are getting ever more desperate in their hopes that their cronies will find a way of welching on it.

[jim360]

I don't know about you, TTT, but I would have thought that the way you voted was the way you felt was the "right" one. Well, same here. So it does follow that yes, I believe that the decision the British people made as a whole was the "wrong" one. Wouldn't have been worth voting the way I did if I didn't believe in it...

[jambutty]

And to think I helped to vote this man in, oh the shame !!

[jackthehat]

The Brexit vote is done and dusted.
Blair will say anything to keep his profile (and stock) high. I hope history does not treat him kindly.

[agchristie]

I'm no Blair fan but what I would say is that there was a whole host of Tory MP's,(some now in the cabinet), who voted to Remain so this article could easily have come from one of them!

There's nothing in what he has said that is untrue and the distinctions between 'probable' and 'possible' are clear.One exception perhaps,people do buy homes without seeing what they are getting.

Has he not watched 'Homes under the Hammer'!

[ToraToraTora]

yes jim, obviously if the result was contrary to your own vote then you would feel the wrong decision was made. However I hope you can accept that in a binary choice situation the winning choice should be honoured. If the result was different I would feel the same as you but I would accept the choice of the voters.

[jim360]

Hopefully I've made it clear enough on AB that I've accepted the legitimacy of the result.

[agchristie]

Perhaps a band of MP's may emulate the SNP and have an 'away day' think tank as to how to force a rethink!

[Bazile]

Nobody knows what's going to happen after article 50 is triggered , 2 , 5 , 10 ..years down the line .

His views are no more valid /invalid than anyone else

[Old_Geezer]

He continues to seem out of touch. And I think a dangerous out of touch person due to his profile and the fact that some may actually listen to his opinions.

If public opinion shifted and this could be proven we would still exit since the vote is already cast and such an abandonment of democracy would be unacceptable to any reasonable citizen. To treat the public with such disdain would cause protests and very likely riots.

[youngmafbog]

As the Sun once asked - "Is this the most dangerous man in Britain?"

He most certainly is. For one, he should be in Jail IMHO.

[jim360]

"If public opinion shifted and this could be proven we would still exit since the vote is already cast and such an abandonment of democracy would be unacceptable to any reasonable citizen. To treat the public with such disdain would cause protests and very likely riots."

I guess then the question is "which public?" Surely if the opinion shifted in levels large enough so that the original decision was no longer the will of the people, continuing to leave would also be treating the public with disdain -- and the population of the time, at that, rather than the one that existed two months ago.

All this is hypothetical,, but this decision should hardly irreversible for all time. For now it is, and let's see what plans Theresa May et al actually have to shape the new future, but I'd hope that people can see that *if* public opinion changes then the government's policy on this issue should take that into account rather than be beholden to the past.

[Old_Geezer]

One can not afford to flip flop every year. The decision has been made, the public has spoken, and short term nervous panic or fashion should be ignored. A new decision can be made 25 / 30 years down the line if desired. That gives the situation time to settle down and folk understand the real situation.

[jackthehat]

No need for dithering.
The vote was counted and the Brexiters won. The withdrawal from EU needs to be enacted.....win, lose or draw.

And I see the sky still hasn't fallen in.....

[jourdain2]

The sun will still rise...... We will be fine and forge our own way. There will be problems, but different problems, and at least we will be able to find our own solutions.

Re: Blair - the photo I saw was what would have been seen as a madman not long ago. I almost voted for him - then I looked at his eyes. (OH did vote for him and is so horrified that he did that.) I thought there was a touch of megalomania then and this seems to have morphed into insanity - in that he can no longer relate to the real world in any way, i.m.o..