Thread by @EmporersNewC

1. Do you remember a time when things were different?

2. A time when someone could plan an organised disinformation plan, in the aftermath of a political decision, in an attempt to change the course of history.

3. One which could have repercussions for years to come

4. A time when we might change our mind in one, two, or three years

5. And a time when the struggle would continue

6. A time when we should never put a date to the life of Britain

7. When a political group could be formed to overturn a referendum result, without being accused of being “undemocratic”

8. When their members could openly call for the people in parliament to resist, obstruct, and to agitate

9. And when MPs could argue that the referendum decision could be overturned in parliament, without cries of “Will of the people”, or “You lost, get over it!”

10. A time when to suggest a referendum settled things was only made out of vested interest

11. And a time that could see someone could build a case to ensure the government did not bypass parliament, without being called an “enemy of the people”

12. When even to suggest that people accept the result was help in contempt

13. A time that could see a major party passing a resolution calling to reverse a referendum at a party conference, after five years of internal debate

14. And a time when accepting the result did not mean accepting the outcome

15. It was a time not long ago. It was when people said democracy wasn’t over until it’s over.

16. When a free press and a strong opposition was considered a good thing

17. Before a patriotic press became the preferred option

18. When we did not need to restrict the press

19. And before it became necessary to do so

20. It was when the point of democracy was that you should be able to change your mind

21. Before decisions became irreversible

22. A time when, if someone lost, it was acceptable, after an arbitrary amount of time, to demand another referendum, or demand the result be ignored.

23. And before this was a way of reinforcing the idea that the people don’t matter.

24. A time when it could be British wisdom that would lead to a series of referendums

25. Before it was just characteristic of the EU

26. It was a time when a government could have another referendum if they wished

27. And before the act of suggesting having one was a dismissal of democracy

28. It was a time when people wouldn’t rule out a second referendum

29. And when there could be unstoppable demand for one

30. When it was considered naïve to assume that a new poll would not emerge

31. Rather than considering it the Hokey cokey

32. A time when people believed that the people should be trusted when unforeseen circumstances arose

33. Before it was undemocratic to do anything but plough on with the original decision

34. When a referendum after a renegotiation might make more sense

35. Rather than just to repaint the red lines

36. A time when people considered a badly fought campaign could leave people believing the result was flawed

37. And they would suggest that the nature of the campaign meant it was going to come back

38. When, if a result was to be endured, it must not be on the basis of a false prospectus

39. And that without adequate debate, the result would not be as binding as people would like to be

40. Before the nature of the debate didn’t matter

41. And the false prospectus was irrelevant

42. A time when things were just “detail”

43. And before the time when that the detail didn’t exist

44. A time when Britain was a democracy and it could change its mind

45. Before it ceased to be a democracy, and became what it is today:

A Hypocrisy.

46. I don’t like living in a hypocrisy, I don’t respect hypocrisy, and personally, I'd like a referendum to overturn hypocrisy

47. And even if you don’t agree with me that a referendum is the solution, I would hope that anyone who cherished democracy would make a stand against what is happening

48. Then maybe, one day, we will be able to remind each other of a time when things were different. A time when democracy was being consumed by hypocrisy.

A time when we stood up.
And a time when we pushed back.

/End