Reconciling Remain and Leave

I have had two conversations in the past week about Brexit and they both went in identical directions.  The Remain supporters said “the referendum was fixed”.  I said “but the 2017 election promised to implement it which is why Corbyn got so many votes”.  They said “Of course, when it became clear what was going to happen with Brexit our MPs opposed it”.  I said “but the 2019 election sidelined Corbyn after he opposed Brexit and Brexit is going to happen, the people have spoken”.

In both cases I pointed out that a referendum and two elections had supported Brexit.  In both cases I was told that the electorate were not qualified to make such decisions, everyone knows that Leave voters are stupid.  That if democracy delivers such results it is not fit for purpose.

It is very difficult to argue with people who have completely lost the plot about democracy.  In elections everyone thinks the other side are daft but it is the essence of democracy to tolerate the view of the majority.  Democracy is more about the “loyal opposition” than the victors.  It is a willingness to accept temporary government by a majority that you do not support.

How are we to bridge the gap?  The talk in the media is all of “populism” when the Leave voters patiently obeyed all the rules and installed a slightly right of centre political party (not the BNP or even UKIP) to implement their will.  On the other hand the Remain voters demonstrated, sulked, used court cases and underhand dealings in Parliament to push their case.  They just cannot believe they have been thwarted.

The gap can only be bridged by a concerted campaign by Government to show that Leave had far less funding than Remain, that the Trade and Current Account Deficits with the EU were approaching catastrophic levels and that almost all EU countries are far, far more racist than the UK.  The argument can be won by telling the truth now that our Government is not a closet Remain government such as that of Theresa May.

If the opportunity is missed the Remain voters will develop cast iron beliefs that the Leave side of the Referendum was massively funded and advantaged, that the EU was good for the UK economy and that Remain was somehow an anti-racist stance.  If this happens then the victim will be British Democracy.  Labour, especially Momentum, are holding out the hand of friendship to those who believe that they know best and are inclined overthrow democracy to get their way.  Communism and National Socialism both thrived on that attitude.