Defending BREXIT (and democracy)

Quite clearly there were multiple reasons why the British people voted to leave the EU in 2016. It would be wrong to suggest that 17.4mn all had exactly the same reason for wanting to put an end to the UK’s 40 year relationship. But what we can say is that if that relationship was working and had produced benefits, there would have been no referendum movement in the first place. Contrast the EU with the NHS. The NHS came into being in 1946. The NHS is far from perfect. It is not held in in high regard - indeed from the start it has attracted criticism. But, aside from sporadic calls for its abolition, and despite its many failings people have accepted it. There has never been any suggestion that we should have a referendum on whether or not to abolish it. Why is that? Because, give or take, the NHS works. The EU, on the other hand, has had 40 years to convince the British people of the benefits of EU membership and yet, from the outset it has singularly failed to achieve widespre...

On 23 June 2016, 17.4mn people voted to leave the EU versus 16.1mn voted to remain. The difference separating the two sides (1.3mn votes) might not have constituted a landslide but it was still a clear cut decision: 52% vs 48%. But ever since the result was announced, embittered and anti-democratic forces within and without Parliament have sort to frustrate the will of the people and over-turn the referendum result. There is still considerable uncertainty as regards what form Brexit will actually take. There is clearly a degree of anxiety. But that is not a reason why the result of the referendum should be overturned. Part of the problem is that there is a clear imbalance between the wishes of the ‘informed classes’ (the bien pensants ) and the majority of voters. But that’s how democracy works. When Churchill was informed of the outcome of the 1945 General Election he didn’t demand a re-run. His response (supposedly) was a simple: ‘that’s democracy. That’s what we’ve been fi...

Defending BREXIT (and democracy)