The people of Britain have spoken or rather those who chose to speak by exercising their vote in the referendum voted by 52 per cent to leave. 48 per cent voted to remain. However 28 per cent choose not to vote at all.
An absolute majority of those who actually voted is not an absolute majority of those entitled to vote.
Our Continental neighbours would not regard a vote with such profound implications for the future of our country as not having a democratic mandate from the people. Their painful historical experience of binary referenda is that they are the tool of tyranny and their present constitutional arrangements are designed to ensure that such major changes must have the support of a weighted majority of the whole electorate.
Post the 1974 referendum those passionately opposed to Britain remaining in the European Project’s Common Market continued to exercise their democratic right to seek by all lawful means to persuade the 75 per cent who then voted to remain that they had made the wrong decision.
Powell, Benn, Cash, Duncan Smith and many others ignored the call to come together and make membership of the European project work for Britain. The 48 per cent of those who voted to remain have that same democratic right.
History will prove whether the decision was the “right” decision.
Britain is a geographically based parliamentary representative democracy. Britain’s Parliament is not a congress of ambassadors from different and hostile interests for which MPs act as agents as advocated.
Parliament is a deliberative assembly of one nation, with one interest that of the whole, where not local purposes, not local prejudices, ought to guide the general good resulting from the general reason of the whole.
“You may choose members but once you have chosen him or her is not the member for their constituency but a member of parliament” – Edmund Burke, C18th pragmatic politician and philosophical sage.
Plebiscitary democracy in which decisions are determined by MPs who act only as they are told to do by those constituents who voted for them undermines our British Democracy. The EU referendum does not bind parliament.
The major changes implicit in the referendum were not supported by majorities in two of the devolved assemblies who want to Remain in the EU, or seemingly by a majority of MPs.
Only two of the major parties contesting the 2015 general election had a manifesto commitment for a referendum to determine Britain’s relationship with the EU.
In the election less than six in every ten voters voted Conservative.
Under Britain’s “first past the post, winner takes all power” system reflects Lord Hailsham’s description of British Democracy as an elected dictatorship.
Post Brexit research by Opinium Research, verified by staff of the London School Economics, indicates that 66 per cent of the 18 to 24-year-old age cohort voted and 70 per cent of the age group voted Remain.
Of the 65 per cent of the age group 25-29 who voted a majority voted to Remain.
Of the 66 per cent of the age group 40-54 a small majority voted to Leave.
68 per cent of the over 55s, the most numerous age group, voted by a large majority to Leave.
Mother nature will inadvertently reduce the Leave supporters and increase the ranks of the Remain supporters.
There is a growing divide between the more prosperous older generations and the young.
Over 60s households were 11 per cent better off in 2014 than they were in 2008. The real incomes of the 22-30 age group are seven per cent lower than in 2008.
Younger age groups have difficulty in accessing housing. Rising house prices have benefited the over 50s.
65-74 year olds now hold more wealth than everybody under 45 (Resolution Foundation).
Pension guarantees available to younger workers now much less generous than those the old enjoy. Young graduates start their working life with staggering debts.
When the grandchildren of today’s young family ask about their grandparents and great grandparents you could tell them they stole your tomorrow to feed their nostalgia for the past.
Paul Walls
Spalding
