Speaker signals that ‘dynamic’ democracy means questions like Brexit cannot be forever closed

John Bercow [Image from The Guardian].

This will increase pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to change Labour’s stance on Brexit – and he should, but only at the right time.

We all know it’s a terrible idea; we can all see that it is already harming the UK’s economy; but the evidence against it must be unequivocal before Labour can call for a halt, for the good of the nation.

It is a useful intervention, though – and of course, even if Brexit does happen in spite of all good sense, it opens the door for a reversal in the future, when the adverse effects become incontrovertible.

John Bercow, the Commons Speaker, has warned democracy is under threat and said those on the wrong side of a referendum result do not have to accept their case has been lost forever, in remarks welcomed by campaigners for people’s right to change their mind on Brexit.

The Speaker is duty-bound to remain neutral on political issues, but his comments appeared to make a thinly veiled reference to the EU referendum, defending the right for people to argue for a second vote.

He made the speech at a reception on Thursday for Operation Black Vote in the House of Commons, where he warned there were “threats to representative democracy that should concern us”.

“Democracy is not just about one vote once every five years or one vote once on a particular issue causing all argument on that matter to be considered legitimately shut down,” he said.

“That is not the way democracy works. Democracy is a dynamic concept. People who are on the losing side are not obliged to accept that their view has been lost for ever and they are perfectly entitled to continue to argue for it.”

Source: Referendum voters should be able to change their minds, says John Bercow | Politics | The Guardian


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4 Comments

  1. aunty1960 January 21, 2018 at 12:42 am - Reply

    We all know it’s a terrible idea” – SAYS WHO?

    The economy is responding to the uncertainty and the mythic demonization of it and the Financial FRIGHTSTERS are of course making a packet by feeding and increasing the fear.

    Meanwhile REAL business, commerce and finance are getting on with building blocks and new relationships, new open trade and possibilities. and much is happening behind the scenes to GET ON WITH IT!

    Business, trade and farmers voted Brexit and most of the EU countries would vote Brexit to get out from under the constricting yoke of EU bureacracy and directives by bureacrates.

    The use of Fear Mongering isrife and many want UK to go down, would be wonderful for a requisition and salvage off our dead bones.

    Even Goldman Sachs predicated UK economy to drop waiting to feed off the bones, instead UK rose and UK Financial Service sector grew and now more successful than USA. EU or Eastern financial markets.

    This fear mongering and myth creating means many are starry eyed struck in headline lights and don’t see beyond it.

    AND YOU DON’T HELP!

    Stop the blinkers and EU rights ete etc never existed many directives implemented meant more poverty and low waged trapped into poverty and access to justice takes so long and decisions are not mandatory it might was well not be there.

    Not seen any reduction in racism, police brutality, disability abuse and discrimination, sexism, gay hate or exploitation at work and poor work conditions, it was and always was a myth.

    And Corbyn will be making his own networking behind scenes, Oh No and Oh Yes, both top and bottom of the political scale and left and right want to break free. for their own purposes which are not always in tandem, but they both want to break free.

    • Mike Sivier February 22, 2018 at 12:32 pm - Reply

      Do you have any factual, documentary evidence to support your claims?

  2. rotzeichen January 21, 2018 at 4:01 pm - Reply

    Europes trade imbalances:

    Europe’s continuing debt crisis highlights internal trade imbalances

    http://www.dw.com/en/europes-continuing-debt-crisis-highlights-internal-trade-imbalances/a-5349490

    All is not well in Europe and to ignore this as well as the ongoing privatisation of state assets within Europe is burying your head in the sand.

    Our economy will not recover whilst being a member of the EU, the real target is the Tories who want to scupper genuine negotiations with Europe and to set up a free trade agreement with Trump on the lines of TTIP.

    There is a real left alternative, it just takes time to work through all the issues, time to start thinking how we rebuild our broken country, not hanging on to another form of the American Dream in Europe.

  3. jill phillips January 21, 2018 at 7:27 pm - Reply

    Well said Mr. Speaker. It would be great if you could say it a bit louder – even just in the House would help no end to quieten those who are using the situation to further their own Ego requirements.

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