I don't know whether it is worth going here yet again... but the core of the difficulty with Brexit lies with the nature of the referendum mandate. Short thread. 1/8
In 2016, 52% voted to leave the EU. Many, often contradictory promises were made about what leave might mean. 2/8
Among leavers there were, and are, those who favour remaining in the SM or CU, those who want a 'good' (however defined) deal with the EU, and those who want a much 'cleaner break'. 3/8
The 2016 vote can provide no answers to the 'what Brexit' question. The question was, simply, not asked. 4/8
It was, therefore, once Article 50 was triggered, left to (successive) Governments to negotiate an exit from the EU *which was able to command majority support in Parliament*. 5/8
Various attempts to reach and sell deals were opposed not only (as one might expect) by remainers, but also by leavers, many of whom clearly do not think that 'any Brexit will do'. 6/8
And now, more than 4 years on from the vote, there is still no answer to the key question - what do 'we' want to replace EU membership with. 7/8
That the vote happened without a prior debate about this question is grossly irresponsible. That a mature debate hasn't even begun to happen since is pretty much unforgiveable. 8/8
PS This was August 2018. There have been extensions, which have enabled the serious questions to be avoided. And the silliness (on all sides) seems to go on and on. blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2018/08…
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