Good #acrosstheredline with @annemcelvoy @BBCr4today. @IsabelOakeshott said re referendums: she “far more relates to people who feel disengaged” and “ordinary people”. If so, how about referendums on 80% tax for the rich, green belt building 1/
...capital punishment, banning cars, banning abortion, massively reducing immigration, or a scheme for religious discrimination ? Each of these may (repeat,may) 1 day become groundswells of frustration among “the people”. Who decides which go to “the people” for a referendum? 2/
Matthew was quite right that the crowd can get it wrong. Remember, that appeasement in the 1930s was massively popular among “the people” (as Matthew said). We didn’t therefore hold a referendum on it and then kowtow to Hitler. What Matthew didn’t say was that Churchill 3/
...didn’t feel the need to hold a referendum on whether to fight a war that he knew would cost “the people” much short term pain. He just went ahead and promised “blood, toil, tears and sweat.” He did what was right.
