Will the losers accept the result and move on

Soot2006

I will accept democratic process and move on.

Unless I "lose" in which case I will throw my toys out of the pram and move to Canada to sulk.

Andy_L

If remain lose they will have to accept it as leaving is effectively a one way door and rejoining won't be happening.

If leave lose then, like Scotish independence, they will be able to push for another referendum in ~5 years

Generali

Andy_L wrote: »

If remain lose they will have to accept it as leaving is effectively a one way door and rejoining won't be happening.

If leave lose then, like Scotish independence, they will be able to push for another referendum in ~5 years

As much as I hate to say it, perhaps the way forward would be after a remain vote, if there is one, to put all big treaty changes to referendum. That way we have democratic assent for the status quo and then assent to every change that happens subsequently.

It's expensive and a PITA but anything's got to be better than this mess.

bugslet

Sapphire wrote: »

I think there are bitter divisions in this country now because of the EU (much more so than after our national elections). That's what happens when people realise there is a danger of them being deprived of a voice. People who have now realised what the EU stands for are passionate about their point of view on democracy, etc. – much more so than those who opt for what they've been led to believe is the safe option of the status quo, even though they may generally dislike the EU.

It has surprised me that people feel quite so passionate as they do. I was on a short break with a friend in March when she said that anyone voting Leave was a bigot and small-minded. I'm voting leave ( by a narrow margin, Remain up until Dec/Jan ). I find it difficult to get over that, even if she didn't mean it personally ( though I don't like those kind of DT sweeping comments anyway).

Generali wrote: »

As much as I hate to say it, perhaps the way forward would be after a remain vote, if there is one, to put all big treaty changes to referendum. That way we have democratic assent for the status quo and then assent to every change that happens subsequently.

It's expensive and a PITA but anything's got to be better than this mess.

Totally agree. I have two issues with the EU, one is the affect it has had on the wages of the poorest and the way that we adopt every law and regulation and carry it out if the EU decides so. Friends in France and Spain don't expect their adopted countries to so.

Maybe if Remain win ( I'm saying they will by 57% ish ), we could have a single referendum to agree that we aren't going to take much notice of the EU as other countries don't? That might sort it:D

System

Of course the result isn't final. History isn't final - times change, things happen, borders change, countries come and go, new history books get written.

Saying something is final is as delusionary as wanting a "Thousand year Reich" or saying "If the British Empire lasts for a thousand years" or "It's peace for our time".
Ten years is about the most anything can be predicted to last.

Keep_pedalling

Generali wrote: »

As much as I hate to say it, perhaps the way forward would be after a remain vote, if there is one, to put all big treaty changes to referendum. That way we have democratic assent for the status quo and then assent to every change that happens subsequently.

It's expensive and a PITA but anything's got to be better than this mess.

I don't think continually asking a general public to keep voting on things they have only a limited grasp on is a great idea. Although we are in the Internet age with a virtually unlimited amount of information available, getting to the truth and making rational decisions on facts is harder than it has ever been. It is no surprise that there are still so many people undecided, given the poor level of debate.

We have now just about caught up with the standard of US politics, where everything is split on tribal lines and real debate is replaced with sound bites, slogans and conspiracy theories.

If the vote is remain I would expect things to calm down pretty quickly, but if it is leave there will be chaos in the Tory party, and hence the government while they sort out the leadership, and of cause the negotiations will go on for years, and many leave campaigners will not be at all happy when Boris agrees to free movement of labour with the EU as part of those terms.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss

wymondham

If Brexit lose then it'll give me far more to post about when the EU ramp it all up...

molerat

Yolina wrote: »

I'm expecting Leave to claim vote rigging and various random conspiracies if they don't win.

I'm expecting Remain to claim vote rigging and various random conspiracies if they don't win.

Keep_pedalling

What would be interesting would be If the result is so close that the inability to eliminate counting errors would make it tie.

Bearing in mind the vote is not binding on the government, that would leave a choice of parliament making the final decision, or a re-run at some point in the future.

Generali

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

a re-run at some point in the future.

Please no. Don't even mention it because some idiot will think it's a good idea.