The EU referendum

[newcastle]

If we could only find a halfway competent opposition, the very populist forces they have exploited and misled so grievously would turn on them. The fear in their eyes shows that they know it

So very true

The Opposition seems to be disintegrating as we speak :

Telegraph News
Live EU referendum: 'Half of shadow cabinet' reportedly set to resign after Hilary Benn sacked by Jeremy Corbyn following post-Brexit coup

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06 ... -jeremy-c/

[Horus]

If we could only find a halfway competent opposition, the very populist forces they have exploited and misled so grievously would turn on them. The fear in their eyes shows that they know it

So very true

The Opposition seems to be disintegrating as we speak :

Telegraph News
Live EU referendum: 'Half of shadow cabinet' reportedly set to resign after Hilary Benn sacked by Jeremy Corbyn following post-Brexit coup

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06 ... -jeremy-c/

Not a bad thing IMO, at least it may result in a credible opposition leader who the country could get behind.

[Who2]

Hey come on. Pull your socks up, stop bloody moaning and get on with building a better Britain...

phpBB [video]

ps: Don't you just hate 'bloody whingers ?

[Horus]

Fantastic film Dr and who can forget that brilliant soundtrack Burning Bridges by the Mike Curb Congregation, maybe another one for your Brexit Top 10?

phpBB [video]

[newcastle]

I don't know about burning bridges......but if the mayor of Calais is to be taken seriously, we may have to consider blowing up the Channel Tunnel


(from Henry V, spoken by King Boris of Westminster)

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the Tunnel up with our unwanted immigrants.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the smell of garlic gets in our nostrils,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
..............

[Horus]

Another benefit of us leaving Newcastle
But on the other side of the coin, this may go towards explaining the shock result a little better

phpBB [video]

[newcastle]

I've always maintained it's a bad idea to give a vote to anyone with a pension book and failing eyesight.

Printing the forms in really small print would have obviated all this nonsense

[carrie]

For once everyone's vote counted this time. People I know who live in constituencies which are overwhelmingly either Labour or Tory and they are of the opposite persuasion feel that their vote never counts for anything. This time it has and agree or disagree with the result the will of the majority of voters must be respected.

[newcastle]

For once everyone's vote counted this time. People I know who live in constituencies which are overwhelmingly either Labour or Tory and they are of the opposite persuasion feel that their vote never counts for anything. This time it has and agree or disagree with the result the will of the majority of voters must be respected.

Why? What a curious notion!

The "will of the people" has never counted for much in the past...nor does it form part of our democratic process.....EXCEPT when it comes to selecting our MPs.

They, and they alone, then decide what to do by way of making laws, considering, BUT NOT BLINDLY OBEYING, any indications they might have received regarding public opinion.

[newcastle]

The Opposition seems to be disintegrating as we speak :

Telegraph News
Live EU referendum: 'Half of shadow cabinet' reportedly set to resign after Hilary Benn sacked by Jeremy Corbyn following post-Brexit coup

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06 ... -jeremy-c/

Not a bad thing IMO, at least it may result in a credible opposition leader who the country could get behind.[/quote]

Oxymoron?

[Who2]

Cheer up! all is not lost.....

phpBB [video]

"Show a bit of backbone, that old British 'esprit de core..."sorry about the 'froggie language....

Ps: Volume to the Max......

[Horus]

Nice slideshow accompaniment

[newcastle]

My nephew passed this on to me. An impressive speech (without notes too!)

phpBB [video]

[newcastle]

Despite the fact that I've previously declared I had little interest in the outcome of the referendum, and wouldn't be voting, some may have gained the impression that I'm a wholehearted supporter of REMAIN.

I'm not. I haven't given the issue enough attention to form a definite opinion as to whether IN or OUT was the better course for UK.

What has exercised my mind, and all the posts I've made on the subject, is the mechanics of the process, the debacle before, and now after, the referendum, the sometimes absurd and hyperbolic rhetoric ( from both camps) and, most importantly, the dangerous usurping of the fundamental sovereign right to make decisions given to our elected representatives.

The following article is well worth reading:

https://www.project-syndicate.org/comme ... ff-2016-06

CAMBRIDGE – The real lunacy of the United Kingdom’s vote to leave the European Union was not that British leaders dared to ask their populace to weigh the benefits of membership against the immigration pressures it presents. Rather, it was the absurdly low bar for exit, requiring only a simple majority. Given voter turnout of 70%, this meant that the leave campaign won with only 36% of eligible voters backing it.

This isn’t democracy; it is Russian roulette for republics. A decision of enormous consequence – far greater even than amending a country’s constitution (of course, the United Kingdom lacks a written one) – has been made without any appropriate checks and balances.

Does the vote have to be repeated after a year to be sure? No. Does a majority in Parliament have to support Brexit? Apparently not. Did the UK’s population really know what they were voting on? Absolutely not. Indeed, no one has any idea of the consequences, both for the UK in the global trading system, or the effect on domestic political stability. I am afraid it is not going to be a pretty picture.

Mind you, citizens of the West are blessed to live in a time of peace: changing circumstances and priorities can be addressed through democratic processes instead of foreign and civil wars. But what, exactly, is a fair, democratic process for making irreversible, nation-defining decisions? Is it really enough to get 52% to vote for breakup on a rainy day?

[Horus]

Well in the same vein of playing devils advocate and assuming that the guy at the top is the author of this article:
Kenneth Rogoff, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Harvard University and recipient of the 2011 Deutsche Bank Prize in Financial Economics,
Maybe colours his own views somewhat

[carrie]

I am more confused after the vote than I was before it.

[HEPZIBAH]

I am more confused after the vote than I was before it.

I think a lot of people are Carrie.

Now we are hearing in more realistic terms what it is going to mean. I don't recall hearing so much about the potential repercussions, time scales of change, etc before the voting took place. I also hadn't realised that the decision could still be overruled. Or perhaps I'm still not understanding much of this at all.

[Horus]

It now looks like the disgruntled 'remainers' will try any tactic to get their way.
After reaching a massive 3 million signatures calling for it to be raised in Parliament
Parliamentary authorities have removed around 77,000 allegedly fake signatures from an online petition which calls for a re-run of the Brexit referendum with hackers taking responsibility for adding thousands of counterfeit names. It follows a formal inquiry launched less than three hours earlier, amid claims some of the more than three million signatures it has gained since Friday may be fraudulent.

It came as the 'EU Referendum Rules triggering a 2nd EU Referendum' petition posted on the UK Government and Parliament Petitions website showed a suspicious number of signatures attributed to places outside the UK, in some cases more than their total population.

Some 39,411 residents of Vatican City, home to Pope Francis, appeared to have signed the petition by Sunday morning, despite the tiny city state having a total population of just 800.

They must be really getting desperate, the latest I heard it had dropped to below 450,000 genuine signitures, not bad as opposed to over 17 million in favour

Confused? we all are

[HEPZIBAH]

I saw a clippit thing on my screen earlier today and I'm sure it said that the petition for another referendum vote was set up even before the last voting had taken place by an 'exiter' who didn't think they'd win. If I see the clip again I'll post it.

[Horus]

That would not surprise me in the least Hepzi