Apologies in advance folks as this post is a tad long!
The calls for a ‘People’s Vote’ or second referendum ('PV' from now on) appear to be growing in number and volume. Lots of people (Sir Vince Cable, Gina Miller etc.) back the idea, but I’ve not heard how they think the results should be interpreted and implemented. What follows is my take on it . . .
My understanding is that those demanding a PV think that the electorate should be able to vote on the following three options . . .
A. To leave the EU with whatever deal is on offer. Currently that’s Chequers (just!) which we’ll call ‘soft’ Brexit. (I know the current Chequers deal has a snowball’s chance in hell of making it to the end of next week - let alone to being an option on a PV ballot paper - but there could be something as bad!)
B. To leave the EU without any deal at all and revert to WTO rules. We’ll call that ‘hard’ Brexit.
C. To remain in the EU.
It’s obvious to me that to some extent Brexiteers will be split between the first two options and that if the split is 50:50 then, theoretically, remainers could win a PV with as little as 34% of the vote. For the sake of argument, if the 2016 results are repeated, and remain voters poll 48%, then one of the two leave options would need to poll 49%, 50%, 51% or 52% in order to win. And that is extremely unlikely, as it would require the other leave option to poll a mere 3% or less. On this basis, IMO, remain voters should only be able to claim victory if they get 51% or more of the total votes cast. However, thus far, I’ve not heard anyone say that.
There is another problem with this 3 option PV that could result in both leavers and remainers being unhappy. Imagine this scenario:- the polls have closed and the results are in . . .
A. 34% voted to leave the EU with the Chequers deal (‘soft’ Brexit)
B. 33% voted to leave the EU without any deal and revert to WTO rules (‘hard’ Brexit).
C. 33% voted to remain in the EU.
These figures suggest that we could end up with a soft Brexit that almost two thirds of the electorate don’t want. This then raises the prospect of tactical voting. Personally, if a bad Chequers style option gained support during pre-PV campaigning, I would seriously consider jumping ship and voting remain, as I think that would be preferable to a very week soft Brexit or ‘Brexit in name only’ (Brino).
Gina Miller recently launched her new campaign to ‘End the Brexit Chaos’. IMO, if her calls for a PV along the lines above are heeded, then, based on my assessment (if it’s correct), far from ending the chaos - it could make it a whole lot worse. So, I’m interested in your views - especially those of you on the remain side. (I think I know what most Brexiteers think about a PV, lol!) Is my take on a PV fair and accurate - or am I missing something?
Tim.