So, that would trump the fact Brexit has (and will most likely continue to) caused immeasurable damage to the UK? An electorate that voted for something based on lies and spin? That seems somewhat self-defeating for anyone who cares about their country.
I did. Remain. And the reasons can be found on here back in 2016. I would be classified as a 'Project Fear' merchant - although it appears that every single reason I gave for my decision has come to pass.
I should qualify that. I am currently applying for Irish citizenship and will relinquish my black passport in due course.
What % of that damage would you attribute (for those in government ) : 1. incompetence 2. who wanted to remain, and were going to attempt to eff the exit process as much as they could "An electorate that voted for something based on lies and spin?" Would this electorate also happen to be "thick" / "racist"/ < insert insult here > ... ?? "That seems somewhat self-defeating for anyone who cares about their country" I care about democracy. As a citizen of the UK, I take the outcome of the decisions of the democratic majority, good or bad, in the same vein that I would hope they take mine if my decision was the majority opinion. Or (in UK marital terms) : for richer or poorer, for better or worse, in sickness and in health ...
So the main thing affecting you is holiday travel? What other major problems has leaving the EU caused you personally.
Is it irreversible though? Once a mistake was made (democratically), does it mean we have to live with the consequences in perpetuity?
Tis fair comment IMHO to claim that the "mistake" made by the democratic majority was that they believed the machinery of govt to be both competent and committed enough to get as close as possible to a "win-win" on the exit.
The referendum was set up not to be legally binding on the government and then immediately treated as if it was. So people may well have voted as a protest not expecting their vote to be implemented.
Why would you vote for something you never expected to happen? Do you really think most people are that thick.
On a different tack, referenda are not democratic because there is no way to hold the campaigns to account. They therefore encourage the rich and powerful and indeed foreign governments to provide misinformation knowing that there will be no consequences.
What % of that damage would you attribute (for those in government ) : 1. incompetence <10% although judging on the general level of incompetence displayed over the past 7 years that may be an underestimation. 2. who wanted to remain, and were going to attempt to eff the exit process as much as they could. OK...the Remainer conspiracy theory. 0% A vote was cast and successive elected administrations and various elected and unelected PM's had the mandate to negotiate the exit. No individuals or organisations had the power to influence that. "An electorate that voted for something based on lies and spin?" Clearly, my belief is that there was electoral manipulation. However, that highlights what I regard as malign forces behind that 'fraud'. I would place the majority of influence on that area. Would this electorate also happen to be "thick" / "racist"/ < insert insult here > ... ?? Not directly and certainly not completely. My point was that an electorate that failed to fully or even partially understand the issues and implications, made a decision based on flawed information. (although sadly there is evidence of a demographic correlation to some less 'diverse' attitudes, that were undoubtedly played upon by the likes of Farage & the ERG).
People often vote against government recommendations as a protest not expecting their vote to matter. That doesn't imply stupidity.
And indeed, it was a very conscious decision of the Government to take this path when they could (and arguably should) have treated the vote as provisory.
Anecdotally, what % of your acquaintances voted believing beforehand that if the result was leave that the govt would not action the exit process ?? For me, the answer is zero.
So one lot of propaganderists were more persuasive than the other? What made your mind up which way to vote, propagander or did you maybe have your own opinion. Don't try to belittle people who have a different view to you.
A competent Government would and could have THEN started an extended period of deep analysis to complete an assessment of outcomes. Instead, Cameron committed the country to an over-hasty timetable in which not a single formal assessment was completed.
Sorry but if you go to the trouble of voting and don't expect your vote to count then that is the very deffinition of stupidity.
And this was immediately followed up with Holy Brexit Purity. Only one very specific kind of Brexit was God's True Brexit and all else was heresy. It was a scam from start to finish.