EU referendum, brexit and the aftermath

I wish I shared your optimism.

I don't think Andy's being optimistic. He's just noting that things are complicated, and to assume MPs will march blindly into a hard Brexit because of a referendum with a tiny majority seems unlikely.

Our MPs are elected to be representative and not delegates of their constituents. In theory, their mandate is to act in the best interests of their constituents regardless of their views.

That's how our democracy is supposed to work. In theory.

Our MPs are elected to be representative and not delegates of their constituents. In theory, their mandate is to act in the best interests of their constituents regardless of their views.

That's how our democracy is supposed to work. In theory.

Crosses fingers.

Yes but Brexit means Brexit and Democracy means Democracy.

Just getting that in there as it's the only thing that Leavers seem able to articulate under no matter how detailed an analysis of all the sane reasons to have some kind of proper, lawful process of debate....

It's a total fucking mess for sure.

If it had been 52% remain it'd still be a shambles.

Which ham faced pig fucker called a referendum in the first place?

Government is appealing but I have doubts that it will change the outcome. It was a very quick turn around for verdict and though it seems to be, on what everybody is calling, "constitutionally untested grounds", I don't think it would have been so swift if the high court wasn't sure it was legit.

I'm unsure how many MPs are still feeling pressured into responding to the referendum as the democratic will of the people, though sure the pressure exists in some constituencies. It's problematic for MP's to ignore the actual breakdown of votes in their constituencies (where we are talking some extraordinarily slim majorities), and what that means in the context of democracy, to then justify abandoning their own political stance/common sense chasing some popularised twisted take on democracy spun by the Tories and media. With that in mind .. I've always considered that part of an MP's remit is to represent the best interests of those parts of their constituency that are ineligible or too apathetic to vote? But that's neither here nor there ...

That aside, I'm feeling pretty confident that it will be put under so much scrutiny in Parliament that it could be deemed too risky or detrimental to national interests (economy, social ambitions of the state, international politics etc.) and might not happen on any recognisably "Brexit" terms. Obviously, best case would be if thrown out, as deemed fucking mental— oh and 'dis May shamed out of office for being the pandering, convictionless cunt she is.

We should just have a civil war and get it over and done with.

dibs basmati

War is good for the economy innit?

Youse can come over to NI to have a bit of practise on how to demolish police landrovers, start fires, educate yourself in UK law, civil disobedience etc ;)

At least house prices would come down.

Along with the houses.

On the other hand, the British economy did amazingly after the last civil war. Three hundred years of glory and empire.

Don't think the rest of the world did too well out of that though did it

Exit EU, invade EU - on our terms.

Yeah. Brexit can mean Breakfast or whatever the fuck we like then. If only Germany will make us the tanks, and the French ever get round to finishing that Eurofighter we paid for a decade ago....

To be fair the world cup ain't happening again, may as well add another world war to the tally.

Just think of the technological advances we'd make during 5 years of war, the advantages just keep coming.

Including Scotland, this means that 401 of 632 constituencies (63%) are now judged to have voted for Leave.

Think it's missing NI and isn't 100% accurate, methodology seems reasonable though https://medium.com/@chrishanretty/revised-estimates-of-leave-vote-share-in-westminster-constituencies-c4612f06319d#.ff7j88e4k

Looking at the data, 112 seats were estimated to be in the range of 50% to 55% for a leave vote so fairly marginal.

That's quite meaningful, considering that those marginal seats account for ~17% of constituencies.

edit my math was wrong here.

In any case, it was a marginal victory which the future of the country cannot be based on. This is the argument MPs need to stand up and make (and accept).