The Government’s Response to The Petition To Withdraw Article 50 is Bullshit

Hint: they talk about the “will of the people”

I, along with with over 180,000 other people, recently signed a petition calling for the result of the Brexit referendum to be voided in light of revelations around the Leave campaign breaking electoral laws.

I’m not sure what I was expecting. Certainly not a mea culpa, “yep you’re right, let’s bin this off”, but it was worth a shot I suppose.

This petition reached the number of signatures required for a response from the government, and so this week, that’s what happened.

Below, in full, is their response:

The British people voted to leave the EU and the Government respects that decision. We have always been clear that as a matter of policy our notification under Article 50 will not be withdrawn.

The British people voted to leave the EU, and it is the duty of the Government to deliver on their instruction. There can be no attempt to stay in the EU.

The result of the referendum held on 23 June 2016 saw a majority of people vote to leave the European Union. This was the biggest democratic mandate for a course of action ever directed at any UK Government. Following this, Parliament authorised the Prime Minister to trigger Article 50, passing the EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Act.

In last year’s General Election, over 80% of people then voted for parties committing to respecting the result of the referendum. It was the stated policy of both major parties that the decision of the people would be respected. The Government is clear that it is now its duty to implement the will of the electorate.

This was not a decision made after just a few weeks of campaigning, but one that came after a debate that had taken place both in Parliament and across the country for decades.

We are committed to making a success of the British people’s decision to leave the European Union. And that is how we have always approached the negotiations — anticipating success, not failure. It is vital that we try to reach an agreement that builds a strong relationship between Britain and the EU as neighbours, allies and partners. Not just for those who voted to leave but for every citizen of the United Kingdom. We were given a national mandate and this Government is determined to deliver a deal in the national interest.

As the Prime Minister has said: “This is about more than the decision to leave the EU; it is about whether the public can trust their politicians to put in place the decision they took.” The British people can trust this Government to honour the referendum result and get the best deal possible. To do otherwise would be to undermine the decision of the British people. The premise that the people can trust their politicians to deliver on the promises they make and will deliver them in Parliament is fundamental to our democracy.

Our focus is making a success of Brexit and attempting to get the best deal possible. A deal that is in the interests of both the United Kingdom and the European Union. And one that takes in both economic and security cooperation.

It is the Government’s duty to deliver the will of the people and reach a desirable final outcome.

Hmm. Okay. Let’s break this down a little, shall we?

The British people voted to leave the EU and the Government respects that decision. We have always been clear that as a matter of policy our notification under Article 50 will not be withdrawn.

The British people voted to leave the EU, and it is the duty of the Government to deliver on their instruction. There can be no attempt to stay in the EU.

The British people voted to leave the EU. That much is clear. They mention that twice.

Except, well, when they say the British people, what they mean is just over 50% of those who were of voting age in June 2016 voted to leave the EU.

So not all British people.

Not even a majority of British people, if you’re talking about the full electorate.

Ah but who cares about the rest who didn’t vote leave. They’re not British people, they’re traitors.

The result of the referendum held on 23 June 2016 saw a majority of people vote to leave the European Union. This was the biggest democratic mandate for a course of action ever directed at any UK Government. Following this, Parliament authorised the Prime Minister to trigger Article 50, passing the EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Act.

You’re not actually answering the question there though are you, which is, if the Leave campaign cheated, then surely any result ought to be considered void?

In last year’s General Election, over 80% of people then voted for parties committing to respecting the result of the referendum. It was the stated policy of both major parties that the decision of the people would be respected. The Government is clear that it is now its duty to implement the will of the electorate.

Well, yes, except that a vast majority of Labour voters do not want to leave the EU, or certainly not the customs union or single market. Many voted for Labour as the least worst choice in terms of representing their views, because they have been more pro-soft-Brexit, and suitably vague about whether or not they would back a second referendum.

This was not a decision made after just a few weeks of campaigning, but one that came after a debate that had taken place both in Parliament and across the country for decades.

I find this section particularly bizarre. I think what is being suggested is that those who voted leave did so having been fully informed for decades of what that meant, and that there were no voters swayed by the campaigns. Which begs the question why so much money was spent on the campaigns, if everyone had already made up their mind?

We are committed to making a success of the British people’s decision to leave the European Union. And that is how we have always approached the negotiations — anticipating success, not failure. It is vital that we try to reach an agreement that builds a strong relationship between Britain and the EU as neighbours, allies and partners. Not just for those who voted to leave but for every citizen of the United Kingdom. We were given a national mandate and this Government is determined to deliver a deal in the national interest.

I’d love to know what this actually means.

What does a successful Brexit look like? Is it Theresa May’s Chequers deal, that’s already been torpedoed by the EU? Is is Brexit in Name Only that will ultimately result in far right rebellion and UKIP resurgence? Or is it a hard, WTO rules Brexit, that so cataclysmically fucks up the country we’ll be lucky if we can get hold of a tin of baked beans for less than a year’s salary?

As the Prime Minister has said: “This is about more than the decision to leave the EU; it is about whether the public can trust their politicians to put in place the decision they took.” The British people can trust this Government to honour the referendum result and get the best deal possible. To do otherwise would be to undermine the decision of the British people. The premise that the people can trust their politicians to deliver on the promises they make and will deliver them in Parliament is fundamental to our democracy.

I find it strange that on this particular issue, the government must deliver so that the public can trust their politicians.

But not on say, balancing the budget, not increasing VAT, safeguarding the NHS, staying in the single market, not cutting school funding, increasing exports to £1trillion, giving workers three days volunteering leave, introducing a cap on social care costs and so on.

Our focus is making a success of Brexit and attempting to get the best deal possible. A deal that is in the interests of both the United Kingdom and the European Union. And one that takes in both economic and security cooperation.

Yeah, you’ve said that.

Interest mentioning the security cooperation, seeing as this very same government suggested using exactly that as a bargaining chip to get a better deal.

It is the Government’s duty to deliver the will of the people and reach a desirable final outcome.

Ah, will of the people. That unchanging, unflappable will of the people.

That same will of the people that now sees a majority want a second referendum. That same will of the people that would now vote 59% to 41% in favour of remaining in the EU vs a no deal Brexit.

That will of the people?

Much like every other piece of communication that this government has released on Brexit, this response is entirely lacking in any content. It expresses the same tired buzzwords and slogans that have echoed around Westminster for the last two years.

The reality is, though Article 50 may not be withdrawn by this government, there’s quite a big chance it will be withdrawn by the next.

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Jackson Rawlings is a political philosopher, writer and thinker with some big ideas about how we can change the world for the better.