I'm sorry but this is a Brexit thread. I'm going to try and take a different line of thought to "remainers want to betray democracy" or "leavers want us to starve and run out of blood" though so bear with me.
I voted remain because I didn't see a plan for leaving and because I didn't want domestic policy to be ignored for a decade.
However I'm pretty eurosceptic. My experiences in Govt showed me just how dysfunctional and undemocratic EU institutions are.
However I'm pretty eurosceptic. My experiences in Govt showed me just how dysfunctional and undemocratic EU institutions are.
Moreover the EU project is coming under extreme pressure from the rise of nationalist/populist movements all over Europe - including now in Germany (AFD is coming 2nd in some polls now).
The biggest driver of this is immigration (alongside failures of economic integration).
The biggest driver of this is immigration (alongside failures of economic integration).
Global demographic trends pretty much guarantee this is going to get worse over the coming decade. Right now Africa has roughly the same population as Europe. By 2050 it will have doubled in size + Europe's will have stayed flat. Nigeria will be more populous than the US.
You could argue this means we should get out now however bad the short/medium term consequences of no deal and get a head start on forging our own trade deals and immigration policy.
I would argue this means - as a eurosceptic - this is a crucial time to be part of the conversation. Either the whole thing will fall apart (which will make it much easier to leave) or the crisis will force a conversation about what a different, better EU could be.
But what we're actually heading for at the moment (probably) is a deal that doesn't allow us to either forge our own way OR remain part of the conversation. Worst of both worlds. We experience the oncoming crisis as passengers.
Moreover there is no parliamentary majority for either "no deal" or "remain" nor would another general election give us a majority for either of those positions (unless the Tories won a whopping majority - which is highly unlikely).
So I genuinely cannot see a way out of this - in the interests of either leavers or remainers - apart from a 2nd referendum that offers a choice between leaving properly (and taking a potentially v big hit but having meaningful freedom) or staying and pushing for reform.
And this is from someone who has always been highly sceptical of a 2nd referendum. I just don't see another way out.
