The UK parliments can nix the exit from EU

[Sam_Fields]

This vote was just a referendum and is not legally binding on the Parliaments. The UK parliaments should not approve any legislation to exit the EU. An exit from the EU would be a horrible choice for the UK and all of Europe. This would be no different then Texas having a referendum to exit the US. Congress could fail to make any law or constitutional amendment regarding Texas exit from the Union.

[runaway hero]

1. I'm surprised how many people don't know this.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

2. Screw the voters

Always a good option for leadership

[Spider Jerusalem]

4. When the voters choose to vote for something catastrophically stupid, then it's the best option

this is why it's so hard to amend the US Constitution (this is also why referenda are an amazingly stupid idea in a representative democracy).

[SickOfTheOnePct]

9. If they aren't willing to go with the will of the people

they should have never scheduled a vote.

[Spider Jerusalem]

14. If the will of the people is collective suicide then those people don't get what they want

too bad for them, really. The referendum was advisory and non-binding. Whether to implement the result or not is up to Parliament.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

15. "Collective suicide"

Hyperbole much?

The UK was fine before the EU, and it will be fine after the EU.

[Denzil_DC]

7. At the moment, roughly 50% of the voters are screwed whichever way it goes.

This was not a sufficiently decisive vote for such a major permanent change.

It wouldn't have been enough to resolve the issue once and for all if the proportions were reversed either.

[pampango]

3. It can but it shouldn't and won't. It would be suicidal and empower the right in the long run.

Imagine the uproar from the right, if the "ELITES ignored the referendum voted on by the common people". It would be a right wing bonanza in the long run.

A Conservative prime minister and government granted the referendum and right wing populist went with it and won democratically.

Those who supported Remain need to accept that the right won the referendum and move on expeditiously to implement it.

If things work out for the UK, then the Right was right, so to speak. If things go badly, perhaps in 10 years or a generation they can revisit this. Some of the older supporters of Leave will have died off and the younger supporters of Remain will still be around - unless they change their minds as they age.

To ignore the referendum or hold a re-vote right away, while I sympathize with the sentiment behind the ideas, would only serve to make the right even stronger.

[alc]

5. the elites know better than the voters

That may be true (when I agree with the elites). But when voters have a "pretend say" and are overridden I say that's always a bad thing even when the voters are wrong. The biggest problem with the EU (for many "leaves&quot seems to be that they have no say in EU politics/laws. It built up to this. If they also have no say in UK politics they'll feel even more F-ed. If immigration is the biggest area of concern with the EU overriding the vote is likely just going to put a bigger divide between citizens and immigrants when citizens fell they have no recourse at all on an issue they feel very strongly about.

The Texas analogy you described works more like if the EU parliament stopping the exit.

Brexit overruled by the UK parliament would be more like Texas voters choosing to exit and the Texas congress overriding them.

[Sam_Fields]

6. If the US had a voter refendrum to reinstate slavery and it was approved would you support it?

Stupid laws are stupid laws.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

11. Invalid premise

Since reinstating slavery would require a Constitutional amendment, which isn't done by referendum.

Not that the U.S. has any provision for national referenda anyway.

[alc]

12. no

But if the elites decide to reintroduce slavery and a referendum was against it I would support the voters over the elites.

If we let the elites decide big things we can can be reduced to menial, dependent labors without any say and have our work conditions averaged with Mexico and China rather than bringing their standards up to our current level - that's best for the elites. It's nothing close to slavery but it's pretty sucky for the workers while best for the elites and it's the road we're on because the elites control things. Ignoring voters in this situation is not healthy - Trump is only where he is because voters feel ignored by the elites.

[TubbersUK]

8. There seems to be an ongoing debate on the matter

Although Nicola Sturgeon is suggesting the Scottish parliament could stop the UK withdrawing from the EU (see 12.10pm), Prof Adam Tomkins, now a Scottish Tory MSP and also a leading expert on UK constitutional law, has tweeted immediately to say this is not so.

Apart from the inherent political contradiction of Sturgeon insisting that Westminster cannot deny or thwart the will of the Scottish people over a second independence referendum, Tomkins says that Holyrood’s legislative consent powers do not override Westminster’s will.


Adam Tomkins MSP @ProfTomkins
Lots of nonsense on here about Holyrood having power to block or veto Brexit. It has no such power.
11:56 AM - 26 Jun 2016
255 255 Retweets 211 211 likes

Adam Tomkins MSP @ProfTomkins
Holyrood has the power to show or to withhold its consent. But withholding consent is not the same as blocking.
11:57 AM - 26 Jun 2016
99 99 Retweets 45 45 likes

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2016/jun/26/brexit-live-jeremy-corbyn-sacks-hilary-benn-tory-leadership

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

10. Who do Members of Parliament think they are? Superdelegates?

Maybe a few quick polls of the electorate, see if the so-called "remorse" exists in a majority, then make the call.