Democracy, British Style?

[Khandro]

Statistics from The Spectator, 'Barometer' 06/04/2019
How is the country split?

Votes in the referendum, Leave, 17.4 m - Remain, 16.1m
Constituency, Leave, 406 - Remain, 242
Labour constituency, Leave, 148 - Remain, 84
Conservative constituency, Leave 247 - Remain, 80
Region Leave 9 - Remain 3


Wait for it ;

MPs Leave 160 - Remain, 486

[jno]

I see the Swiss supreme court has just overturned a referendum on the grounds of lack of information: voters had had incomplete detail and lack of transparency. But the Swiss do like to do these things properly.

[naomi24]

Wrong browser talbot.

[New Judge]

"The ‘people’ who voted Leave also voted in the 486 Remainer MPs."

Whether they are "Remainer" MPs is immaterial. They (or at least 579 of them) stood on manifestos that pledged to take the UK out of the EU. It's perfectly true that the 262 Labour MPs stood on a pledge to take the UK out only with a suitable withdrawal agreement. However, since the Labour Party seems intent on constructing a version of Brexit that is even more appalling than the Prime Minister's I cannot see how their obstruction to the process so far can be justified.

[-Talbot-]

I see the Swiss supreme court has just overturned a referendum on the grounds of lack of information: voters had had incomplete detail and lack of transparency. But the Swiss do like to do these things properly.



Obviously not.

[KARL]

The oft stated refrain: Freedom from rule by the unelected (incompetents). 100% of the Commons seats are held by elected individuals. Ah, isn't the UK just the absolute epitome of common sense, virtue, etc......and an example to emulate (as surely other EU members now will...). Mr.Bean is a funny creation, in spite of striking similarities reality is something of the opposite and it is being observed abroad with much disbelief and the laughing has stopped.

[Theland]

I wonder how many MP's have one eye on seat on the Euro Gravy Train.

[KARL]

"The Swiss.....obviously not" - such a crystal clear example of the British mindset. The nation which is the worldwide referendum expert and champion (arguably the most democratic country on the planet - but of course foreign) wanting to ensure decisions are reliably made dismissed by someone where a very rare example of a referendum revolved around a preference for lack of information mixed with misinformation, hyperbole and utter mismanagement so typical of a backward nation which is deliberately kept backward and sometimes gives the distinct impression it likes it that way. Talk about just desserts....

[pixie374]

The mismanagement is not the public's fault, Karl. It relied on people actually doing their jobs properly and not doing their best to sabotage it from the start. That does not mean it was not the right decision.

[-Talbot-]

KARL
"The Swiss.....obviously not" - such a crystal clear example of the British mindset.


If the Swiss were so great at doing these things correctly they would have a need to overturn a referendum, would they?

Can't be haarsed with the rest of your nonsense.

[vetuste_ennemi]

//The General Election was a year AFTER the referendum vote.
The ‘people’ who voted Leave also voted in the 486 Remainer MPs.
[Therefore:]
- The people don’t know what they really want
or
- The Country is in flux and does not know what to think from one week to another.//

Or, if you think about it for five minutes, perhaps people voted on traditional policy issues, the Leave half of the electorate trusting the promises by both[i main parties to leave the EU.

What do we learn from all this?

Well, for one thing, that the common criticism by Remainers that those who voted Leave are on the whole stupid is, in fact totally justified.

We've also learnt something about the moral character of the 486 (or, rather to be fair, [i]most] of them). As well as that of the noisy claque which is cheering on their tactics.

[Old_Geezer]

If lack of info was a criteria for ignoring a referendum we'd have left the EEC in '75. We were blatantly lied to then by Heath & Co.

[jno]

I wonder how many MP's have one eye on seat on the Euro Gravy Train

they'll be seeking advice from Farage, no doubt.

[naomi24]

Doubt it, jno. He could never be accused of hanging on at all costs ....

Talbot, I watched it on my phone. I never liked her.

[Spicerack]

Have a heart, Naomi. Look at all the refugees she took in and nurtured. And that can't have been easy to fit in with all her house-flipping.

[naomi24]

Dreadful woman, spicerack.