The will of the people........

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 fighting for’. In his book ‘How to Stop Brexit’ Nick Clegg suggests that the referendum result should be ignored and a new referendum held on the basis that people have changed their minds.