Grrrrrobert
Jul 25, 2017 · 2 min read

Dear Owen,

I don’t expect you to respond. Would love it if you did, of course. Thanks for revisiting this issue.

I fear you may not be right. At heart your principles in accepting what you characterise as a huge mistake are grounded in the idea that majority is always right or legitimate or a combination of both.

Democracies, that is the majority, can be wrong. They have in the past made awful decisions. (Also of note: This referendum wasn’t a majority of the electorate. It was a majority of those who showed up to vote. And it wasn’t binding legally, it was advisory. You know this of course.)

But if democracies or majorities can be wrong what then? If the referendum is wrong, as in the wrong course for the UK, what then?

Just keep going straight into the abyss? As you suggest?

This seems flawed somehow.

Therein lies ample reason not to ‘overturn’ but to allow the legal mechanisms of the popular will a way to tell us all, as a true majority, how they want the country to go.

It is, as you point out, an important decision. There is no legitimacy in going forward without a true majority and popular mandate.

If it’s such a mistake and one actually cared one would assume they would fight tooth and nail to protect the people from such an awful occurrence. Be he right or exceedingly wrong, Farage would fight on as you point out. You will not.

Your position echoes that of the former American President Obama on his promise to close the Guantanamo prison. “Well the U.S. Congress says no we can’t, that’s that.” sotto voce “Whew! well at least it won’t be my fault…”

So there are reasons to fight on on this issue. There are grounds to fight on. There is standing and a possibility to stop the Exit.

Unless you don’t really mind or can’t be bothered. Or you admit that the remain camp was only fighting for a flawed status quo in any case and that staying is going to be just as blasé as leaving. That would explain it as well.

There are reasons of political opportunity why someone would casually oppose Brexit but still let it happen. I hope that’s not you.

Grrrrrobert

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Take the One on the Left