# What will the UK do wrt Brexit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 18, 2019, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799 "2019-02-18T22:39:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 32
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/621 "2019-03-28T22:34:12Z")
From what I’ve been reading, the EU would consider tomorrow’s motion. If it were passed, to satisfy the requirements of the European Council conclusions from last week and they would duly move Brexit Day to May 22. If the WA isn’t approved tomorrow, as it looks like it won’t be, then April 12 remains the default Brexit Day, UNLESS Parliament specifically requests a long extension from the EU in the two weeks left to it. And the EU will be willing to grant one so long as it’s for a resolution to the whole thing. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/622 "2019-03-28T22:35:48Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Surely the worry would be that outrage over the audacity of unilaterally revoking A50 would result in a new hardliner Brexiter PM to re-invoke A50 and not even bother with a deal? I don’t think we have anything to fear from a hardline Brexiter, myself - half the Tory party will oppose them. In an election, the Tories will shatter right now. They’re set for opposition for a long time. I used to be hostile to electoral reform but I’m all for it now. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/623 "2019-03-29T01:05:29Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > May invoked Article 50 with Parliament’s approval but it wasn’t necessary\* which suggests it’s not needed to rescind it either. Yes, Parliament’s consent was necessary, as held by the Supreme Court of the UK. > **[R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R_(Miller)_v_Secretary_of_State_for_Exiting_the_European_Union)** > > R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union is a United Kingdom constitutional law case decided by the United Kingdom Supreme Court on 24 January 2017, which ruled that the British Government (the executive) might not initiate withdrawal from the European Union by formal notification to the Council of the European Union as prescribed by Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union without an Act of Parliament giving the government Parliament's permission to do so. Two days lat... The next day the Government introduced a bill in the Commons to authorise the PM to give notice under article 50. Without that bill being passed into law, the PM did it have the legal authority to invoke Article 50. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/624 "2019-03-29T10:11:09Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > May invoked Article 50 with Parliament’s approval but it wasn’t necessary\* which suggests it’s not needed to rescind it either. > > That is what she should do. It’s the best option but it would mean a lot of unpleasantness in the short, especially immediate, term. She has a choice between her Prime Ministership being reviled in history but getting there ounce by ounce vs having made some beneficial contribution but enduring the most adversity now. Like someone with gangrene who can never commit to cutting off what’s gangrenous so it spreads wider and the prospect of cutting that off becomes ever worse. > > The high delusions and low impulse control of Brexit are the very opposite of the stiff-upper-lip “keep calm and carry on” I’ve always liked imagining the British are like. You guys better pop out another Beatles or Monty Python to give the world to make up for your embarrassing discombobulation. > > - [United Kingdom invocation of Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_invocation_of_Article_50_of_the_Treaty_on_European_Union#UK_Parliament) Did you not even read your own cite? > [@](#): > > On 3 November 2016, the High Court ruled[56] in R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union that only Parliament could make the decision on when or indeed whether to invoke Article 50.[57] The Government’s appeal to the Supreme Court took place from 5 to 8 December 2016.[58] On 24 January 2017, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the lower court by a majority of eight to three, declaring that the invocation of Article 50 could only come by an Act of Parliament.[59][60][61] The case was seen as having constitutional significance in deciding the scope of the royal prerogative in foreign affairs.[62] The Supreme Court also ruled that devolved legislatures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have no legal right to veto the act.[63] ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/625 "2019-03-29T10:29:09Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > I don’t think we have anything to fear from a hardline Brexiter, myself - half the Tory party will oppose them. The schadenfreude enthusiast in me kinda wants Nigel Farage to get the gig. You know, the disingenuous human-shaped turd that started the whole Brexit thing as a scam on the EU, then realized it could be a scam on the UK too, then immediately slinked away from public life and \*left the country \*when Leave won ? That asshole who promised everyone cocaine-covered unicorn blowjobs ? Yeah, him. Let him try to wrangle the chaos he’s created like a tentacle-porn Sysiphus. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/626 "2019-03-29T10:35:16Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Not a question of what she SHOULD do, just a question of what she CAN do: CAN the PM simply pick up the phone, call Brussels, officially declare A50 to be rescinded, and then resign? That is, would such a rescinding stick? > > ETA: Because if she CAN, that’s what she SHOULD do. There’s no question about that. From an IMHO post last week: May probably doesn’t have the power to revoke the Article 50 declaration without the approval of Parliament, but that’s not certain. Parliament passed an Act in 2017 to withdraw from the EU. [http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/...0170009\_en.pdf](http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/...0170009_en.pdf) (PDF) The text in the act is quite basic: “The Prime Minister may notify, under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the EU.” The Prime Minister can’t go against an act of Parliament, but as you can see the act doesn’t say anything about revoking the withdrawal notice. Further complicating matters is that a motion has been passed by Parliament ruling out “No Deal”. If “No Deal” is off the table, and “May’s Bill” remains defeated, then arguably all that is left is “No Exit”. So there’s a potential valid argument that revocation is already authorised. The other complication is that if May did decide to act unilaterally, some constitutional body would have to overturn her action. The first body available is Parliament, but I can’t imagine that happening. The second body is the UK Supreme Court, who could very well declare the Prime Minister’s unilateral revocation unconstitutional. However, the court does not move fast, and any such action by May would leave very little time for the court to act. Regarding if she should revoke Article 50, no she shouldn’t. Parliament had a vote on a form of revoking Article 50 on Wednesday. It was defeated by over 100 votes. > [@](#): > > L - Joanna Cherry’s - Revocation to avoid no deal > > Under this plan, if the government has not passed its withdrawal agreement, it would have to stage a vote on a no-deal Brexit two sitting days before the scheduled date of departure. If MPs refuse to authorise no-deal, the prime minister would be required to halt Brexit by revoking article 50. The motion, tabled by the SNP’s Joanna Cherry, has been signed by 33 MPs including the Conservative former attorney general Dominic Grieve, the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Vince Cable, Labour’s Ben Bradshaw and all 11 members of the Independent Group. > > For: 184 > > Against: 293 > **[All eight indicative vote options on Brexit defeated by MPs – as it happened](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/mar/27/brexit-latest-news-live-debate-indicative-votes--to-vote-on-alternative-votes-as-speculation-mounts-may-could-announce-plans-to-quit-live-news?page=with:block-5c9be548e4b0347f70e74e28#block-5c9be548e4b0347f70e74e28)** > > The day’s political developments as they happened, including the indicative votes debate as MPs choose from eight options I guess you’re in favour of Trump unilaterally building that Mexico border wall? At least he campaigned for it. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/627 "2019-03-29T10:48:24Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > I guess you’re in favour of Trump unilaterally building that Mexico border wall? At least he campaigned for it. Whether or not either is good policy, being against the wall and for the revocation of Brexit are not inconsistent if one is generally cautious in initiating major changes without a good reason and so therefore is more okay with unilateral action by the head of government in one instance but not the other, considering one would be the prevention of major change. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/628 "2019-03-29T11:07:16Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Whether or not either is good policy, being against the wall and for the revocation of Brexit are not inconsistent if one is generally cautious in initiating major changes without a good reason and so therefore is more okay with unilateral action by the head of government in one instance but not the other, considering one would be the prevention of major change. That depends on how you define the status quo. The status quo for the past three years for Britain is that it’s leaving the EU. To suddenly switch from leaving to remaining would definitely constitute a major change. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/629 "2019-03-29T12:45:00Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > May invoked Article 50 with Parliament’s approval but it wasn’t necessary\* which suggests it’s not needed to rescind it either. > > That is what she should do. It’s the best option but it would mean a lot of unpleasantness in the short, especially immediate, term. She has a choice between her Prime Ministership being reviled in history but getting there ounce by ounce vs having made some beneficial contribution but enduring the most adversity now. Like someone with gangrene who can never commit to cutting off what’s gangrenous so it spreads wider and the prospect of cutting that off becomes ever worse. May does appear to be operating under the delusion that if only she can get her WA passed, she can leave in triumph, take her seat in the Lords and be considered a hero to the nation, despite the fact that the WA isn’t palatable to the vast majority of Leavers or Remainers and the seat she’ll take is the one next to Tony Blair on the “Former Prime Ministers Whom The Nation Loathes in Perpetuity” bench. > [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > I don’t think we have anything to fear from a hardline Brexiter, myself - half the Tory party will oppose them. > > In an election, the Tories will shatter right now. They’re set for opposition for a long time. Don’t underestimate the ability of Jeremy Corbyn to alienate a majority of voters. Labour are also on the shattering point, the Lib Dems have already made themselves an irrelevance and the rest of the lot are all fringe parties. This is why the country is such a mess. > [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > Regarding if she should revoke Article 50, no she shouldn’t. Parliament had a vote on a form of revoking Article 50 on Wednesday. It was defeated by over 100 votes. > > [All eight indicative vote options on Brexit defeated by MPs – as it happened | Politics | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/mar/27/brexit-latest-news-live-debate-indicative-votes--to-vote-on-alternative-votes-as-speculation-mounts-may-could-announce-plans-to-quit-live-news?page=with:block-5c9be548e4b0347f70e74e28#block-5c9be548e4b0347f70e74e28) > > I guess you’re in favour of Trump unilaterally building that Mexico border wall? At least he campaigned for it. On the one hand, you make a valid point about Parliament failing to pass a resolution to revoke Article 50. On the other hand - and I want to make this very clear - \ ***people are going to die because of Brexit**. \* Not hyperbole. Not fearmongering. Literally \*\*die \*\*as a direct result of crashing out of the EU. We know the government has been stockpiling medical supplies - and body bags - in preparation for shortages. Medicines, vaccines, blood products, medical radioisotopes, other medical devices and consumables - better hope you don’t need any of them urgently post-Brexit. Need insulin? Hope your supply is topped up; otherwise it sucks to be you! And that’s not even getting into the issue of food supplies and prices in a country that already has half a million people who rely on food banks to survive. The people voted for a vague, undefined Brexit. They didn’t vote for the stupidest, most destructive version of Brexit. And while it’s a politically unpopular move, May does apparently have the power to revoke Article 50, declare that there is no current consensus on the form of Brexit and that further work is needed, and then fuck off to her retirement and leave the fallout to her successor (which will be the case no matter what she does). It’s not like any of her other options will make her more popular or keep her in power one minute longer - she might as well grow a spine and put a stop to this nonsense. But I guess you’re in favour of a no-deal Brexit? In your opinion, how many deaths is it worth? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/630 "2019-03-29T12:56:14Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > From an IMHO post last week: > > May probably doesn’t have the power to revoke the Article 50 declaration without the approval of Parliament, but that’s not certain. Parliament passed an Act in 2017 to withdraw from the EU. [http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/...0170009\_en.pdf](http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/...0170009_en.pdf) (PDF) The text in the act is quite basic: “The Prime Minister may notify, under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the EU.” The Prime Minister can’t go against an act of Parliament, but as you can see the act doesn’t say anything about revoking the withdrawal notice. > > Further complicating matters is that a motion has been passed by Parliament ruling out “No Deal”. If “No Deal” is off the table, and “May’s Bill” remains defeated, then arguably all that is left is “No Exit”. So there’s a potential valid argument that revocation is already authorised. > > The other complication is that if May did decide to act unilaterally, some constitutional body would have to overturn her action. The first body available is Parliament, but I can’t imagine that happening. The second body is the UK Supreme Court, who could very well declare the Prime Minister’s unilateral revocation unconstitutional. However, the court does not move fast, and any such action by May would leave very little time for the court to act. > > Regarding if she should revoke Article 50, no she shouldn’t. Parliament had a vote on a form of revoking Article 50 on Wednesday. It was defeated by over 100 votes. > > [All eight indicative vote options on Brexit defeated by MPs – as it happened | Politics | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/mar/27/brexit-latest-news-live-debate-indicative-votes--to-vote-on-alternative-votes-as-speculation-mounts-may-could-announce-plans-to-quit-live-news?page=with:block-5c9be548e4b0347f70e74e28#block-5c9be548e4b0347f70e74e28) > > I guess you’re in favour of Trump unilaterally building that Mexico border wall? At least he campaigned for it. You guessed wrong. I’m in favor of good things happening, and against bad things happening. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/631 "2019-03-29T13:00:47Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > That depends on how you define the status quo. The status quo for the past three years for Britain is that it’s leaving the EU. To suddenly switch from leaving to remaining would definitely constitute a major change. The status quo is that Britain is in the EU. Is Britain simultaneously in the process of leaving the EU? Sure. And I could be persuaded to accept that this state of affairs remain perpetually so, just so long as the process is NEVER completed. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/632 "2019-03-29T13:08:20Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > But I guess you’re in favour of a no-deal Brexit? In your opinion, how many deaths is it worth? My preferences are: 1. May’s plan 2. Customs Union 3. Extension followed by WTO exit 4. Second referendum 5. Revoke Article 50 6. Cliff edge No Deal Brexit on 12 April Note that I haven’t listed any renegotiated option. I think it’s a pipe dream that there’s a better deal waiting if the UK just asks more politely. I’m guessing the resolution will be a customs union. But last week, I was guessing that May was going to force a Tory/DUP choice on taking her deal or the government would offer Labour a second referendum. So anything I predict, you can probably safely bet against. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/633 "2019-03-29T13:10:04Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > You guessed wrong. I’m in favor of good things happening, and against bad things happening. Great! You’re in favour of Brexit. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/634 "2019-03-29T13:16:07Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > I think it’s a pipe dream that there’s a better deal waiting if the UK just asks more politely. That was the feeling I got after reading this [piece](https://www.politico.eu/article/how-uk-lost-brexit-eu-negotiation/) on the Brexit negotiations. It sounds like the EU from Day 1 has had a very specific picture of what they were and weren’t going to do and the UK never did. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/635 "2019-03-29T13:22:40Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > The status quo is that Britain is in the EU. > > Is Britain simultaneously in the process of leaving the EU? Sure. And I could be persuaded to accept that this state of affairs remain perpetually so, just so long as the process is NEVER completed. Didn’t you just say you’re “against bad things happening”? I now need to add a #7 to my list. Britain in many ways is stalled right now, and is only moving based on momentum. Being in a perpetual state of Parliamentary gridlock without coming to a decision on leaving or staying means that when that momentum runs out, the UK will be stuck going nowhere and with no ability to go anywhere. I’m actually glad the EU gave Parliament a deadline, because at least that will force some resolution, even if it’s not my preferred one. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/636 "2019-03-29T13:36:48Z")
**Inner Stickler** beat me to the punch on the Politico article. It’s very much worth reading, and shows how the EU has run rings around the UK throughout the whole negotiation process. [How the UK lost Brexit battle](https://www.politico.eu/article/how-uk-lost-brexit-eu-negotiation/) > [@](#): > > POLITICO has spoken to dozens of leading officials, diplomats and politicians in Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Belfast, London and Brussels — including in No. 10 Downing Street and chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier’s team in the European Commission — about the nearly three years of negotiations. > > The story that emerges is of a process in which the EU moved inexorably forward as Westminster collapsed into political infighting, indecision and instability. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/637 "2019-03-29T13:42:36Z")
Comment of the day (so far), via Nicholas Watt of the BBC: “I said to one Cabinet Minister, ‘Why is the Prime Minister holding a vote when she is pretty sure she will lose?’ And using very strong language, this Cabinet Minister said, ‘Fuck knows. I am past caring. It is like the living dead in here.’” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/638 "2019-03-29T14:27:42Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > Great! You’re in favour of Brexit. …which will result in bad things happening. Immediately. The other week on Question Time, Jacob Rees-Mogg put forth the argument that because the UK was growing at a faster rate than the rest of the EU, it was an indicator that the EU was holding the UK back. He seemed oblivious to the point that this was instead an indicator that the UK is thriving as part of the EU. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/639 "2019-03-29T14:43:40Z")
Aye 286 No  344 :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799/640 "2019-03-29T14:54:24Z")
Can a Brexit-supporting member here please explain why a national referendum to elucidate exactly what the voters meant by “Brexit” is anathema? Or, perhaps put another way, if 45% of the nation wants to remain in the EU, 35% want a “soft Brexit” with a customs union and 20% want a “hard Brexit” (numbers entirely made up), what should happen? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799.md?page=31) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-the-uk-do-wrt-brexit/829799.md?page=33)