[klagermkii]

Sure it might not be a clear mandate, and I think it was a stupid bet to make, but it met the condition set and they were very clear before the vote what would happen.

Normally it might not be that big a deal but it exists in the context of people frustrated with the EU and politics in general for being "undemocratic" and supposedly not listening to them. In this particular case by ignoring the result of it, you would potentially be validating those fears, and play into euro-skeptic views across the whole of Europe.