[beninvalencia]

As in your other comment, it's true also that despite 'paying more into the EU than receiving' directly, the benefits have been large. In fact the whole argument that the UK will be better off financially leaving is missing the point. The UK received big benefits from being in the EU and trying to calculate some in/out net contribution is again, missing the point entirely.

However, and I know this will grate horribly, but the EU might have to wait, whether it likes it or not. If article 50 is not invoked, no one can force the UK out. What's more, there are gathering suspicions that the UK could consider a second vote in some months' time. Only by waiting could this happen.

For context: I am British and do not want to leave the EU, despite my best efforts to find the positives in my other comments. I think that the UK had a good deal before and was able to influence policy from within. Now we will be punished by the EU and break up internally.

But beyond all of this, I don't want to live in a country where people have voted so stupidly, and so nastily. One of the leave campaign's biggest claims has been proven to be false. Actually proven to be false. And people voted on that. This in my view is almost grounds for a voiding of the entire process. I feel ashamed of my country and I'm a "true" Brit by their standards. I consider myself lucky in that I can leave and live somewhere else, and this is what I intend to do. I no longer feel a part of the country of my family and of my life so far. And I didn't see such a strong feeling coming until it hit me with the leave vote.

[gonvaled]

I see your point of view, and I'll try to explain mine:

This has been a big blow and, unless we act united and fast, the EU is going to crumble. You say that, due to how the referendum has played out, it would be better to repeat it in some months time. What happens in those months? Nobody knows, but probably very big damage for the EU and for European countries, while financial havoc paralizes the economy.

And afterwards? You vote again? Leave again? Why wait more then? Remain? Can the EU really deal with such unstability, a partner which does not accept a role alongside the rest of EU members, constantly complaining, penny pinching and accusing the EU of all imaginable problems? We have frankly had enough. I understand this is not your personal stance, but that is the UK's attitude.

I think that “what is done can not be undone“. Lets try to craft a deal which suits both parties. It could be that lots of EU agreements can be salvaged for EU-UK cooperation.

If we were talking about this last week, I would support you, but reality has kicked in, and you wanted leave. This is not a game you get to play again and again. This was a one-man bet, and the whole country played along. What a disaster!

[beninvalencia]

Yeah, the damage to the EU is also a huge issue. It's terrible it's come to this.

There is precedent for a second referendum - Ireland did so in 2009 on accepting the 28th Amendment. I admit, this is a lot bigger.

I think the context here which may help this to make more sense to those outside: a lot of British people voted for leave on false claims. Ok, lots of elections have false claims. But these were enormously misleading and widely spread. It seems like there are a lot who regret their decision, though I'm not sure what % they represent. If there is a general election called early with a party that explicitly backs EU membership winning, then there's no way we can leave without another referendum. And if we vote to stay, I think there would be grounds for the EU to get us to accept a lot of things which we might not have before.

But yes, it's a totally miserable situation for everyone.. you know what, I'd even say it's miserable for the politicians who 'won'.

[gonvaled]

Indeed. I am not even sure that Boris Johnson expected, or even wanted to win. Is he awol?

[beninvalencia]

Crazy isn't it.. again, I'm just ashamed my country can come to this point. The leave side didn't even have a plan as to what to do. Johnson doesn't look like he wants to go through with it. He looks like he just woke up and found that he got some girl pregnant that he doesn't even like.

[jeszicawii]

The leave campaign did just that, campaigned. It is up to the people in charge to have a plan on what to do in the event of a leave or remain.

[gonvaled]

But did they campaign on facts? Did they have a plan? Are they going to use this plan for brexit? Where is the plan?

I understand that the plan is maybe not detailed, but I assume they have some kind of detailed roadmap on how to proceed? The Scotland independence referendum had a very detailed plan, hundreds of pages long.

The other issue is the British government: that Cameron did in fact not prepare for losing is his biggest blunder, and history will judge him for that.