They say this election is all about Brexit - I voted leave after doing hours of research and it was a close call. My main gripe was that the EU - despite being an organisation that had kept us from war for over 75 years - needed a huge shake up. As a trading block it is losing ground to the Far East and seemed to be weakening itself even further by introducing more countries who were anything but fiscally sound. I truly hoped that the UK could and would be able to form trading relationships with other partners and strengthen, whilst I fully expected the EU to slowly start to disintegrate. Germany as been printing Deutche Marks for years, in case of this scenario. It is clear that the idealisms of Brexiteer politicians though were just wishful thinking - the divorce deal cost double what we thought and it simply is not possible to walk away and cut all ties without damaging the UK economy. Brexit was sold on misinformation - 3 years later I am not convinced that the public is ready for a referendum because there have been so many sound bytes and so much misinformation since the vote that we still don't know what is best for the country. I have no confidence at all in the Tories to be able to forge new deals with other nations and simply replace the importers of our goods (EU) with new trading partners - they havent done enough and we are not ready to leave. I am disgusted that they have also brought in popularist right wing policies on immigration - my wife is a Finn and the way EU citizens are proposed to be treated is disgraceful. The Australian points system proposed is ludicrous in areas such as Cornwall (and regions which need migrant work such as our agricultural heartlands) as these regions suffer huge levels of poverty and 90% of the Brits living there wouldn't qualify given the average salaries. The deal with the U.S would open the door to US pharmas having full access to the UK health market and drain £27bn per year from the NHS - this is the reality versus a promised £530m per week cash injection.
So whether you supported Brexit or not, I think anyone who reassesses the situation now, given the atrocious way it has been handled, and consider the calibre of the leaders we have in place to deliver it (and the crippling "costs" of doing so), has to reassess whether we would be better trying to reform the EU from within. I for one have changed my mind.
So why are ardent Brexit supporters still refusing to at least reconsider the prudence of leaving given what we now "know"? - a second referendum is pointless without prolonged TV debates which address every sector, weighing up the pros and cons and explaining the impact of Brexit/Remain. I don't think Labour need to take a position and campaign on one side - rather commit to educating the public impartially and giving them the tools to make an "informed" decision.
But I think that whatever the case for leave or remain, most leavers will not change their views because Brexit has set a precedent because of the fundamental argument of whether we are democratic or not - regardless of whether it will be good for Britain or a compete car crash. We have always believed that we live in a democracy and that the public ultimately have the power - if governments don't do as we wish, we can replace them. They are after all public servants elected to carry out our commands/mandates. The ONLY issue for many is that they havent done that, and it sets a precedent if we allow then to take control rather than to unwillingly enforce the public will. Many feel that if Brexit doesnt happen we have lost control over deciding our own destiny, The beginning of the end - where any decision put to the people can be revoked /reversed by politicians who think they know better. It is now a matter of principal, not common sense. Maybe it would be better to introduce legislation that when "instructed" to do something, by a certain date, politicians need to either deliver it or all collectively stand down - I think we would always then get them working together - not leaving, and the possibility that we never will has set a dangerous political precedent - that the will of the people may not being actioned by their representatives in parliament, even though three years later it is pretty clear we aren't ready to leave and to do so would be a car crash.
...... think that alone is a confirmation as to who 'won' the first tv debate in the run in to the GE? ...
www.independent.co.uk
