Brexit or Britin

[Harry Genshaw]

Well, I'm heading down to the polling station (otherwise known as Bolton Cricket Club) this afternoon. In effect, it'll probably be just a waste of time because all I'm ( everybody) being asked is what my opinion is. It won't matter a damn one way or another and neither will the overall result of the polls. The government will do what it thinks regardless, and Cameron and a lack of confidence in his leadership seems to be the biggest reason anybody will bother voting at all.

That really is a very odd view. .

It's not as odd as demanding reparations from the leave group if they win and folk lose out financially!

[Prufrock]

The voting in pen one is my favorite conspiracy theory of a mad bunch. We think the govt might alter our voting slip but not just lie about it.

[Worthy4England]

The voting in pen one is my favorite conspiracy theory of a mad bunch. We think the govt might alter our voting slip but not just lie about it.

I hadn't spotted this when Beefy mentioned it last page. I need to get my vote back from the ballot box to ensure it's not been changed and re-do it in pen.

Bastards, changing people's votes.

[CrazyHorse]

Still not got the foggiest which way to vote.

[TANGODANCER]

Well, I'm heading down to the polling station (otherwise known as Bolton Cricket Club) this afternoon. In effect, it'll probably be just a waste of time because all I'm ( everybody) being asked is what my opinion is. It won't matter a damn one way or another and neither will the overall result of the polls. The government will do what it thinks regardless, and Cameron and a lack of confidence in his leadership seems to be the biggest reason anybody will bother voting at all.

That really is a very odd view. Nobody has said the government will do what it thinks regardless. This is a referendum not a polling of the populous to find the view. It is a decision point and the government could technically ignore the result either way but it is highly unlikely to do so.

t's the view of more than just myself if talking to folk is any guide. Who really knows what the decision either way will result in? Do you?

[Rjs37]

The voting in pen one is my favorite conspiracy theory of a mad bunch. We think the govt might alter our voting slip but not just lie about it.

Knowing our government, they'd probably stuff up altering the voting slips and would then need to lie about the result anyway.

[BWFC_Insane]

Well, I'm heading down to the polling station (otherwise known as Bolton Cricket Club) this afternoon. In effect, it'll probably be just a waste of time because all I'm ( everybody) being asked is what my opinion is. It won't matter a damn one way or another and neither will the overall result of the polls. The government will do what it thinks regardless, and Cameron and a lack of confidence in his leadership seems to be the biggest reason anybody will bother voting at all.

That really is a very odd view. Nobody has said the government will do what it thinks regardless. This is a referendum not a polling of the populous to find the view. It is a decision point and the government could technically ignore the result either way but it is highly unlikely to do so.

t's the view of more than just myself if talking to folk is any guide. Who really knows what the decision either way will result in? Do you?

So people think if we vote stay the government will decide "nah, lets just leave anyhow"?

Really? I mean there are a few mentalists who believe wild conspiracy theories but this stretches it a bit.

[Montreal Wanderer]

Well, I'm heading down to the polling station (otherwise known as Bolton Cricket Club) this afternoon. In effect, it'll probably be just a waste of time because all I'm ( everybody) being asked is what my opinion is. It won't matter a damn one way or another and neither will the overall result of the polls. The government will do what it thinks regardless, and Cameron and a lack of confidence in his leadership seems to be the biggest reason anybody will bother voting at all.

That really is a very odd view. Nobody has said the government will do what it thinks regardless. This is a referendum not a polling of the populous to find the view. It is a decision point and the government could technically ignore the result either way but it is highly unlikely to do so.

t's the view of more than just myself if talking to folk is any guide. Who really knows what the decision either way will result in? Do you?

So people think if we vote stay the government will decide "nah, lets just leave anyhow"?

Really? I mean there are a few mentalists who believe wild conspiracy theories but this stretches it a bit.

I would suspect it would be more like "we voted to stay in all good faith but the bastards did not come through with what we were promised - so now we will leave"

[Rjs37]

So people think if we vote stay the government will decide "nah, lets just leave anyhow"?

Really? I mean there are a few mentalists who believe wild conspiracy theories but this stretches it a bit.

Probably more the opposite. The only way the government would leave without the backing of a referendum is if UKIP were in power.

However if it's a slight majority for leave, the government (during or instead of initiating the notice period) could decides to use that as ammunition for further negotiations and then hold a second vote based on the result of those negotiations. Repeating a vote to get the answer the government wants certainly isn't unprecedented.

For me, the government have no choice but to respect the decision that the public make. But I certainly wouldn't rule out the possibility of a second referendum. Either repeating the same question (and hoping we change our minds), or defining exactly what type of relationship we want with the EU.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

So people think if we vote stay the government will decide "nah, lets just leave anyhow"?

Really? I mean there are a few mentalists who believe wild conspiracy theories but this stretches it a bit.

Probably more the opposite. The only way the government would leave without the backing of a referendum is if UKIP were in power.

However if it's a slight majority for leave, the government (during or instead of initiating the notice period) could decides to use that as ammunition for further negotiations and then hold a second vote based on the result of those negotiations. Repeating a vote to get the answer the government wants certainly isn't unprecedented.

For me, the government have no choice but to respect the decision that the public make. But I certainly wouldn't rule out the possibility of a second referendum. Either repeating the same question (and hoping we change our minds), or defining exactly what type of relationship we want with the EU.

I'd prefer a general election with the different parties putting forward their vision for how we exit, This way, we can vote a new government in with a mandate to either take us out fully, stick us in the EEA or some other version. The important thing being we have a government with a mandate to shape the future.

[Worthy4England]

So people think if we vote stay the government will decide "nah, lets just leave anyhow"?

Really? I mean there are a few mentalists who believe wild conspiracy theories but this stretches it a bit.

Probably more the opposite. The only way the government would leave without the backing of a referendum is if UKIP were in power.

However if it's a slight majority for leave, the government (during or instead of initiating the notice period) could decides to use that as ammunition for further negotiations and then hold a second vote based on the result of those negotiations. Repeating a vote to get the answer the government wants certainly isn't unprecedented.

For me, the government have no choice but to respect the decision that the public make. But I certainly wouldn't rule out the possibility of a second referendum. Either repeating the same question (and hoping we change our minds), or defining exactly what type of relationship we want with the EU.

Problem is that once you head down that route, the options I suspect would start to become unmanageable.

If we took the question "Do you want a free trade agreement with Europe?" for example - would that include one that encompassed free movement of people? etc.

It wouldn't surprise me if there hadn't been some thinking over the years around things like that, but I reckon you almost certainly either end up with a sh*t load of referenda/referenda questions, or you head to the more simplistic In/Out.

[boltonboris]

Why is this being raised now? EU have categorically said that there are no negotiations to be had. None. Zilch. This is it, take it or leave it

[Worthy4England]

Why is this being raised now? EU have categorically said that there are no negotiations to be had. None. Zilch. This is it, take it or leave it

Dunno - I didn't raise it. I think we're having a take it or leave it vote.

[thebish]

Why is this being raised now? EU have categorically said that there are no negotiations to be had. None. Zilch. This is it, take it or leave it

cos tango reckons the govt will just ignore the result of the referendum...

[TANGODANCER]

Why is this being raised now? EU have categorically said that there are no negotiations to be had. None. Zilch. This is it, take it or leave it

cos tango reckons the govt will just ignore the result of the referendum...

And what exactly have EU's no negotiations got to do with me not trusting the government to listen to the people? As stated several times, I haven't the faintest idea what is the right or wrong of deciding either way or what the government should do. They're supposed to tell me. Nothing for you to start a debate about.

[Rjs37]

So people think if we vote stay the government will decide "nah, lets just leave anyhow"?

Really? I mean there are a few mentalists who believe wild conspiracy theories but this stretches it a bit.

Probably more the opposite. The only way the government would leave without the backing of a referendum is if UKIP were in power.

However if it's a slight majority for leave, the government (during or instead of initiating the notice period) could decides to use that as ammunition for further negotiations and then hold a second vote based on the result of those negotiations. Repeating a vote to get the answer the government wants certainly isn't unprecedented.

For me, the government have no choice but to respect the decision that the public make. But I certainly wouldn't rule out the possibility of a second referendum. Either repeating the same question (and hoping we change our minds), or defining exactly what type of relationship we want with the EU.

I'd prefer a general election with the different parties putting forward their vision for how we exit, This way, we can vote a new government in with a mandate to either take us out fully, stick us in the EEA or some other version. The important thing being we have a government with a mandate to shape the future.

I would certainly prefer that too, though I can't see the government stepping aside to hold a very early general election. Even if its a better way of giving the public a choice over the type of relationship we have with the EU.

[Rjs37]

Problem is that once you head down that route, the options I suspect would start to become unmanageable.

If we took the question "Do you want a free trade agreement with Europe?" for example - would that include one that encompassed free movement of people? etc.

It wouldn't surprise me if there hadn't been some thinking over the years around things like that, but I reckon you almost certainly either end up with a sh*t load of referenda/referenda questions, or you head to the more simplistic In/Out.

Yeah it could very quickly get unmanageable, plus a huge percentage of people probably wouldn't understand the options that they have to choose between.

Though I'm pretty sure Switzerland themselves had a similar type of referendum. Then again they hold referendums for everything. They had 14 in one year back in 2014, with three of those on the same day!

[Lord Kangana]

Has anyone considered that we won't get to choose the exact basis of our relationship with Europe if we leave?

After all, everyone moans about it whilst we've got a say. I doubt our spread of options will be that large outside of n organisation we have no influence in.

[thebish]

Why is this being raised now? EU have categorically said that there are no negotiations to be had. None. Zilch. This is it, take it or leave it

cos tango reckons the govt will just ignore the result of the referendum...

And what exactly have EU's no negotiations got to do with me not trusting the government to listen to the people? As stated several times, I haven't the faintest idea what is the right or wrong of deciding either way or what the government should do. They're supposed to tell me. Nothing for you to start a debate about.

Well - bluster asidd , you DID write that your vote was pointless cos the gov would take no notice of the referendum result...

I think that is VERY unlikely...

[Bijou Bob]

It's looking like a North/ South divide??