[louthy]

> I don't understand how they can still go through with this.

Because there was a referendum where a majority decided it was what they wanted. The Government is hell bent on doing it for ideological reasons. The Opposition believe they are following the 'will of the people'. It's a shit state of affairs, but I don't see how it can be averted now, unless there is enough political pressure over the next two years to hold a referendum on the final deal.

[orph4nus]

I understand why people voted on the referendum, and I was following that live as well. But back then people were less informed. But now, months later, people are (/should be) much better informed about all the bad consequences that come out of this. So while I might understand why politicians go through with this, what I don't understand is why people don't change their minds and put pressure on the politicians to stop this shit deal. Because really, I don't believe Europe will give them anything nice they are hoping for. The UK politicians even admit that they didn't do any financial forecast, and that the probability is very high they won't get any deal... This stuff really blows my mind...

[zigzigzag]

Polling shows people's opinions are stable. More information isn't changing people's minds.

You are making some big assumptions about why people voted. For instance, you're assuming that because one or two people made some claims, everyone believed them and voted accordingly.

Speaking for myself, I expect there to be no deal at all between the EU and UK, I expected that before I voted out, I expect it to be very tough for everyone including Europeans, and I still support Brexit and want it to occur as quickly as possible. "More information" about how little the EU cares about cooperation with the UK obviously isn't going to change my mind at all.

I think you'll find many voters are like that: they aren't changing their minds because they didn't base their opinion on the things you believe they did to start with.

[TheOtherHobbes]

You're wrong on both counts. Firstly, many voters believed they were voting for more money for the NHS and to give Cameron a poke in the eye. There was actually no such thing as a "Brexit vote" - it was a popularity poll, not a vote on any specific policy. And policy-minded people were reassured that we wouldn't be leaving the single market - which was a complete lie, of course.

Secondly, it won't be tough for Europe, either financially or politically. Politically there was a vague and ridiculous notion that other EU nations would take the UK's lead and leave too. That's not just not happening, the "reverse domino effect" means that federalisation is likely to accelerate now.

Financially, the UK is something like 9% of the rest of the EU's export market. Even if all of that trade disappeared overnight a good part of it will be replaced by businesses leaving the UK for the mainland.

Europe is 43% of the UK's export market, and the UK is a net importer. So it really can't afford to lose that trade. Most of its exports are services which will - again - be moving to the mainland.

The bottom line is that Brexit will bankrupt the UK. Unless someone discovers an asteroid made of solid gold and stolen bitcoins under London, there is no other possible outcome.

I mean that literally. There is no possible way the UK - or England as we should start calling it - can turn into some kind of dynamo of international trade. We don't make enough, we don't invent enough, and none of the things we're actually good at - law, management, fintech, technology, pharma, art and culture - are being helped by Brexit in any way.

So the absolute best that will happen is a massive drop in living standards for most of the population.

The worst is Zimbabwe-style hyper-inflation and dictatorship.

Either way, it's a suicide note.

[zenkat]

Given that you expected it to be "very tough for everyone" before the vote, care to elucidate why you think this is the proper policy choice?

[pjc50]

> I expect it to be very tough for everyone including Europeans

So, how many of the UK's ~3m resident Europeans do you expect to be leave, and how many to be deported? How do you expect that to work out? What do you expect couples who suddenly have no right to reside in the same country to do?

[corobo]

Polling where? I've not been invited to vote in a poll

[vixen99]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/17/brexit-important-...

'Scots vote to remain in the UK by 55 per cent to 45 per cent' and 'Sixty per cent of respondents agreed that Britain’s EU departure mattered more than stopping the UK’s break-up, while just 27 per cent disagreed.'