Why not a Second Referendum?

I suggest something like the following, bearing in mind:

[a]. The question is “What is the best for the country?”,  not “What do I want?”. There is only one “best for the country”.

[b]. This whole exercise needs more spirit of compromise. Think before you cast your vote “What if one option is clearly unpopular? Then why vote for it?"

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We suggest the following as a way forward that might appeal to a majority of MPs and be ‘fair’. Voters are to be encouraged to a spirit of compromise, and to reflect on what is best for the country and fellow citizens rather than the outcome that suits them personally.

[1]   It is widely understood and accepted that Westminster Parliament is sovereign in the United Kingdom, as established in 1649. The Queen and her ministers play an executive role that must ultimately be reversible by Parliament. Parliamentary (i.e. representative) democracy must trump plebiscites or referendums. Referendums are useful as ‘straw-polls to test the weather'.

[2]   It has been argued that the 2016 referendum did not specify sufficiently the terms of exit that would emerge if the country sought to leave the EU. Further, it was not made sufficiently clear to the public that the 2016 referendum was advisory not definitive. Further, there were electoral rules broken. There can be delay and expense but no affront to democracy in asking for another referendum. (The Swiss have frequent advisory referendums; 3 were held in the first 5 months of 2019.) 

[3]   We therefore suggest asking the EU for a 6 month extension (or an indefinite revoking of Article 50), in order to run the following referendum:

[a] UK voters to vote for one only of the following three options:

[i]  Remain in the EU with full existing rights, exemptions, rebates and duties. 

[ii] Leave the EU on Theresa May terms (*One-off divorce bill of 39B£, respect EU-citizen rights reciprocally, transition period, UK leaves Single Market, and Customs Union, and EU institutions, but Northern Ireland stays in the Customs Union if Britain diverges.)

[iii] Great Britain leaves the EU without a deal in place, without a transition period, but presumably with the ability to make deals in the future without prejudice. A hard border is created in Ireland with immediate effect. 

[b] In the event that no single one of the three options exceeds any other by at least 1% of the votes cast the default position is that we retain our present EU membership with full existing rights, exemptions, rebates and duties, as there being insufficient justification for massive upheaval.

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[4]   Parliament will be expected, but is not bound, to endorse and enact the result of this referendum.

(*I have not found it easy to find a clear statement of Theresa May’s deal. Something like this would need to be on the ballot-paper)

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Ian West
9 Thenford Road, Middleton Cheney,
BANBURY, OX17 2NB,