The Political Thread

[IndigoPrime]

My inkling is that a second referendum would result in broadly the same vote, or perhaps a 50/50 split. It certainly wouldn't be decisive. A Commons vote would be a crapshoot. In theory, there's a sizeable majority of pro-EU MPs in the Commons, but Tories tend to do what they're told, and Labour MPs will freak out about the possibility of losing seats (or at least votes) to UKIP.

Frankly, I think we're doomed to leave regardless now, and it's pretty bloody clear that this is at best going to be horrible for a decade or so. Industries are already suffering. Austerity is here to stay (and will almost certainly be used as an excuse for further privatisation of the NHS). Living standards will fall and poverty will rise. And the benefits? Hard to see any from here. Perhaps trade deals in a far-flung future, but then we lack the skills necessary for those anyway.

[ZenArcade]

But the entire premise upon which the vote was a: formulated and b: carried through was a crock of lying bullshit.
The political class both exit and remain never in a million years actually thought it would go through (hence the no plan B). As I have repeatedly stated over the past weeks both here and elsewhere: this was a 'jolly good idea' by Cameron to placate his restive backbenchers, to kill off UKIP and to consolidate his own position. Johnson cynically opted to go Brexit to place himself as leadership material a couple of years down the line.
This backfired in a big way when the public used this opportunity to tell the politicians to fuck off. We saw the frenzied rush of exit politicians to get as far away as possible from the mess they played a big part in creating; we saw Cameron getting off side as quickley as he thought expedient and we now see a remain Tory leader in Theresa May who is to the neck in the banker network (her husband?).
We will see some tokenistic brexit spiel where there is membership of a single market and free movement of labour and none of the benefits or a scenario where the voters get to go at this again with the scales heavily weighed in favour of remain.
A fiasco from start to finish; a country set at each others throats; component states (hopefully) moving to independence; a Labour Party lapsing into parody; a harder colder (if it were possible) Tory leadership. Z

[Jim_Campbell]

People on both sides of the argument thought their vote would be decisive.

Equally, quite a lot of people thought there would be extra cash for the NHS, a material reduction in immigration, a sweetheart trade deal with the EU, that the pound wouldn't crash, and that there'd be no shock to the economy. They thought all those things, because 'Leave' told them so, and none of those things has turned out to be true.

No one can argue with any confidence that the vote would turn out the same with the benefit of hindsight, which hands MPs the perfect opportunity to put the matter back to the public. The EU has a history of re-running public votes until it gets the result it wants.

And, to be honest, if Leave didn't want this to happen then maybe they shouldn't have told so many blatant lies during the course of their campaign.

[Modern Panther]

Well, Corbyn's got a place in the next Labour leadership contest.  This is possibly the worst coup in political history.

[Steve Green]

It's a shambles.

He seems like a decent guy for the most part, but it seems delusional that he can win over the wider electorate.

Eagle's attempt at a challenge looked absolutely pathetic though.

[ZenArcade]

Well there's one thing for sure we're all going to be a lot poorer. You couldn't have made this bullshit up. Z

[Steve Green]

You couldn't have made this bullshit up. Z

I think that was the problem

[Dandontdare]

People on both sides of the argument thought their vote would be decisive.

And it was. Doesn't matter which side you were on, win or lose your vote helped to decide the issue. That's the point.

[Old Tankie]

Not if they have another go.

[Banners]

Well, Corbyn's got a place in the next Labour leadership contest.  This is possibly the worst coup in political history.

Surprised Corbyn let them change the rules so only people who have been members since January can vote this time, but that will save me £3 I suppose.

[Hawkmumbler]

Not if they have another go.

So basically the plan to fix the economy and restore some sense into the mix is to..."Try turning it off and on again?!"

[Old Tankie]

Nope, sorry, for the second time today, I don't understand your post.  I gathered from a previous post you wanted to strangle me, I'm not sure what you want to do now.

[Hawkmumbler]

No, no, HAVE YOU TRIED TURNINING IT OFF AND ON AGAIN!!!???

[Professor Bear]

Well, Corbyn's got a place in the next Labour leadership contest.  This is possibly the worst coup in political history.

Surprised Corbyn let them change the rules so only people who have been members since January can vote this time, but that will save me £3 I suppose.

It apparently wasn't on the agenda for that meeting, and they removed Corbyn from the room before discussing it, citing conflict of interest.

Which is just another sign of how terrible this coup has been, IMO, because it's more than likely that a good chunk of those joining were actually doing so to vote against Corbyn.  There's supposedly a workaround, though, as while fully paid-up Labour members can't vote, people who registered as supporters via trade union membership can.  I mention this to underline what a monumental cock-up this coup has been: the Chicken Coup set out to clip the wings of the left and has instead enabled a rise in trade union membership and made Labour the largest socialist party in the world.  They sure showed him who was in charge.

[Jim_Campbell]

Well there's one thing for sure we're all going to be a lot poorer. You couldn't have made this bullshit up. Z

Some of us get paid in dollars...

(Note: I'd trade the increased income for the opposite result in the referendum in a heartbeat, but you gotta find your silver linings where you can...)