Quote Originally Posted by noel View Post
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48245499

I think this is where the real battleground is now. It's sounding increasingly like there might be some sort of confirmatory referendum. And it depends on how this is set up and what questions are asked.

If it's yes/no again, we might vote to remain. But if it's to confirm a deal that both Labour and Conservatives support, they might go with: remain, go with our deal, leave with no deal.

That would seem to be a way to divide the remainers and the leavers into those who are prepared to support whatever deal is agreed.

Or will the conservatives swallow their pride and vote for the current deal at the forth time of asking rather than have Labour dictate government policy?
There are lots of issues with this, which is why before the 2016 referendum most of the commentators said this would be a one off.

This is going back over old ground, but referenda are on constitutional matters that give a direction for the politicians to sort out the detail, whether it is Brexit, devolution, changes to the voting system...

Here's an example why.

Let's say we had a set up at the 2016 referendum where we were given the following options on a transferable vote basis. A sort of public indicative vote process, where the last opti0on was eliminated each round.
1. Just leave with WTO.
2. Leave with Canada Style FTA
3. Leave with EEA
4. Leave with Customs Union
5. Leave with EEA & Customs Union
6. Remain with negotiated powers repatriated.
7. Remain with a block on further integration.
8. Remain and integrate closer.

That more or less covers all bases.

I think 2 represents the Brexit most leavers were expecting so I think it is safe to say that in 2016 that would have been the outcome we'd have settled on by the end of an indicative vote process.

However, whether our politicians or the EUs we are told that we cannot have 1,2,3 or 4.

It doesn't matter whether you come from a Brexit or Remain standpoint. This would be the most democratic way of allowing the public to direct Government.

But based on what the Government, Commons and EU are doing, they would not be able to implement the outcome of the referendum.

This is why referenda have to be directional and then the Government gets on with it.

The problem is not that it cannot be done.

It is that the executive on both sides of the channel is fighting tooth and nail to avoid it being done.

A 2nd referendum is just part of the ruse to try and give them a road map to cancelling the whole thing, indicated by those putting the idea forward only wanting to include two options for any 2nd referendum.

Remain and May's deal.

Remain already defeated in a public vote.
May's deal defeated in three Common's votes.