1/ The right to oppose is one of the core elements of democracy. During the two years after the referendum politicians and journalists opposed to Brexit were, with a few brave exceptions, intimidated into publicly supporting Brexit. During that time the UK was not a democracy.
2/ Thatcher echoed Attlee's warning that the "referendum was a device of dictators and demagogues". Such rulers love referendums because they can use them to demonise opponents as enemies of the "democratic will of the people" as Goebbels did after a Nazi referendum victory. 
3/ This is one of the reasons why Brexit is politically illegitimate. Democracy is based on fair votes, the right to oppose, the rule of law and accurate information. The Brexiters violated all four of these pillars of democracy. Far from being democratic, Brexit was a coup.
4/ A democracy cannot go ahead successfully on the basis of a successful coup. The means by which Brexit was obtained must be fully examined, and those who violated the constitutional norms and conventions which underpin our democracy must be prosecuted.
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