billgates

It's not so much being frightened of a confirmatory vote. I'm sure the vote in favour of Brexit will be greater than the initial Referendum result.
It's more how can anyone ever trust the result of a referendum again if it can just be re-run because a minority of the voters didn't like the result of the first vote?
And if a second vote went the other way (unlikely I know) then why shouldn't there be a third vote to satisfy the losers of the second vote?
Where do you draw the line?
The referendum was a one-off, one in a generation vote and it was perfectly clear that it would mean leaving the EU, CU, SM and the rest. David Cameron said as much in his shameful countrywide leaflet when he was trying to persuade the country to vote in favour of staying.
And the argument that we didn't know what we were voting for is just plain insulting.
The mess, confusion and chaotic negotiations are entirely due to our incompetent PM.

Assanah

You mean the population is never allowed to change its mind? Have a look at Switzerland. They have far more experience with referendums and they repeat them all the time. Because people change, opinions change, circumstances change. If you wouldn't allow a repition of a referendum that would mean that the future population will be chained for eternity by the decision taken in the past. That can't be it either, can it?

scrubbedexpat142

Surely you're not seriously suggesting that all those who voted for brexit know (or care) anything about the EU, the implications of membership, what it does, how it functions, etc.

BritInParis

The same can be said for Remain voters as well.

EuroTrash

Come on then, let's hear your solution to the Irish border :-)

Annetje

I assume voters who voted remain, voted for ''going on as it is'' and they understood what that meant ... and maybe trying to chance the EU from within.
I bet loads and loads of Brexiteers AND remainers had never heard of a CU or SM in their life, so couldn't care less.

carcajou

Most of these posts are very condescending. "Those people who didn't vote the way I did, don't know how wrong and stupid they are!"

Leave voters knew what they were getting, as did those who voted for remain. You trying to explain it to them for the upteenth zillionth time isn't going to change anything. Those who voted "leave" have different interests and priorities than you and that doesn't make them bad (or good) people.

Plus, guess what - those wrong and stupid voters actually think you are the one who is wrong and stupid!

The people have spoken. When the second referendum also fails they will want a third. Move on.

If you want to blame someone, blame David Cameron, and not the false conceit that soooooo many people just aren't as smart as you are. This referendum wasn't necessary and was launched as a way to shut up back-benchers who were annoying him. He never thought it would actually pass.

So now you've had your whinge. Go get out now and have a drink or two.

Annetje

and cheers

Anyway, how do people feel about losing all these rights we now take for granted ?

One of my friends in the UK has a company and deals a lot with the EU. He did vote Brexit though. When I asked him about the changes he might have fo face concerning paper work and other regulations, he mentionned that the EU would give the UK the same deal they have now.... I think that was actually promised by the leave campaign, wasn't it.
Not too sure how he feels about it now (don't wanna lose friendships over this so the rule is : don't mention the B-word).

Moses2013

Well maybe your friend is from Northern Ireland, so has dual citizenship and can do business as usual from The Republic instead of Northern Ireland And Trump wants to make a deal with the EU. He's suggesting a United Ireland and offered to build a bridge instead of a wall, so the EU and USA have better trade.

EuroTrash

That is a remarkable statement, considering that the government still doesn't know what it wants, let alone what it'll be getting.

Annetje

Nope, born and bred Essex ... And built the company from scratch and doing very well !

bobd22

I couldn't agree more how exactly can you know? It won't go back to what we had pre joining? We were promised a bespoke deal with not a jot of information what that would actually mean or that anyone had a clue such a deal was possible because they hadn't decided what they wanted. Most talk of out pre referendum seemed to me to say the Norwegian model? That now is not seen as suitable as means keeping freedom of movement etc. Many Brexit people from what I see on political programs don't seem happy with what it looks like they may get? I accept we had a vote which was one person one vote on a simple majority basis and we are where we are that is in total limbo as no one has a clue what the final outcome is going to be. I also agree that we can't simply keep running the same referendum because there will simply be no end to it as losers from whatever side will simply never be happy. I think there are things that we do know or knew however, we knew what being a full member offered, we knew and still know that the EU simply can't stay as it is it needs to change especially shengen and countries like Greece and Italy being flooded with migrants etc. We knew that when were in our country had a say in such matters and changing the EU. With a very soft Brexit but outside seems to me we are going to loose a lot of good things but still be tied to so much EU regulations that our country will have no real say over, I can't myself see that being a great position?. So yes anyone can say what they individually hoped to achieve from Brexit but I don't see how anyone can actually be happy at how things have gone so far surely? All it seems to have done to me is cause bad will in the EU and totally divided the UK . My personal view on another referendum is re running the last one shouldn't happen however putting the final result of the so called negotiations back to the people once we know for sure what we stand to gain or more likely lose must happen, we can't simply leave it up to the politicians to decide in the hope of feathering their own nest.

mikelincs

Yes this is so true, now even Farage is saying that he never said we would be better off outside the UK despite there being recordings of him actually saying that. Those that voted leave did so under the effect of the blatant lies told by the leave people, who were, at least in part, helped by Russian money, The Remain people did a very poor job in telling the people what they would lose. Another vote is needed when the Tory idiots have finished negotiating.

EuroTrash

@billgates, you go very quiet when I ask you things.

i am still waiting to hear what EU rights you were denied and what the solution to the Irish border is... I expect you're busy, but when you get a minute it would be nice if you followed up your comments.

BritInParis

Broadly speaking Brexiteers were quite happy to risk an immediate recession, mass unemployment and the end of Western political civilisation in order to extricate themselves from an ever growing European superstate. As it turned out almost all of Project Fear was b*llocks.

I would agree that most people aren't interested in the minutiae regarding the CU or SM, but if you asked Leave voters whether they thought voting Brexit would lead the UK to be able to determine its own trade policy, its own migration policy and not hand over hundreds of millions of pounds a week to the EU I suspect the answer would be a resounding yes. Staying in the CU or SM is not going to deliver that.