Decision on Brexit must surely stand

WHEN IT comes to politics and political parties in this country, I have to admit to being a cynic of the first order, consoled only by the fact that I stand in a very long line.

I am becoming increasingly convinced that a second referendum on our exit from the EU becomes ever more likely in direct proportion to how often Theresa May says it isn’t going to happen.

It’s like when a Government minister has committed some serious transgression and the PM says “I have every confidence in them”. You know that at that very moment they are busy clearing their desk – and so it comes to pass.

By the day, this Government is making it abundantly clear that it has no intention of taking the UK out of the EU regardless of the referendum vote. What they are hoping to do, and working towards, is creating a situation where they can say “We tried everything we could but the EU have made it impossible for us and so we have no choice but to remain”.

And with that statement Mrs May will hope to “cover her backbench” (to use a polite euphemism) when she attempts to defend her oft-repeated mantra “Brexit means Brexit”.

Worryingly there is a precedent. involved, but to this day I remain (no pun us so far in trying to leave, and exactly intended) convinced that the day after the what will our relationship with the EU be EU referendum we should have walked. thereafter? We will never be able to hold

Things surely couldn’t have been any up our heads in Europe again, and we worse than what we see going on with will never be respected by Brussels and Jean-Claude Juncker and Michel Barnier the “United States of Europe” again (if we on a daily basis as they dictate to the UK ever were) for being so weak. We really in an attempt to bully and bribe us into should have walked. doing what they want. And why should The reality is that on June 23, 2016, we have to pay a “divorce settlement” for 52 per cent of the people voted to the privilege of leaving? We should have leave the EU. No minimum requirement walked. had been set – the outcome depended

Continuing with divorce analogy, what on a simple majority. While the turn-out would life be like for a couple forced to may have been only 72 per cent, decisions return to living together despite having (as they say) are made by those who show Wasn’tup.itIrelandwherethereferendumpickedoneanother’scharactertopieces process was repeated until the Irish in court and hating the sight of one Everyone eligible to vote had government eventually got the result it another? the chance to do so, and on such a had wanted all along? The “will of the I may have to wash my mouth out with monumental matter – “a once in a people” is a great principle as long as it’s soapy water after saying this, but let’s say lifetime decision”, as it was being also the will of the government of the day. the Fates so directed things that it ends called at the time – you might have

We may not like the result of a General up that we remain. What a total waste of expected the highest turn-out ever Election, but people don’t take to the money and everything else that it has cost recorded. However apathy reigned as streets to demand a second vote – we usual. Who is to say how that missing 28 lick our wounds and we get on with our per cent of voters might have influenced lives. When England were defeated in things – but they didn’t and therefore, the semi-finals of the World Cup, people like it or not, the outcome stood and we didn’t demonstrate outside of FIFA’s have to accept it. headquarters demanding that the game Decisions are made by those who show be replayed – we licked our wounds and up. It’s what we were asked to do and we we got on with our lives. did, and the democratic decision that

I may be entirely ignorant of the fine was made must surely stand. Otherwise details of the politics and economics what’s the point?