In calling for a second EU referendum, Westminster Watcher [routeone/Westminster/3 October] is maintaining a long tradition whereby every referendum ever held in the EU has had to be re-run because the people gave the wrong answer.
Denmark voted against the Maastricht Treaty and were told to vote again. Ditto Ireland with the Nice Treaty. France and the Netherlands vetoed the Constitution for Europe (aka Lisbon Treaty) and were simply ignored. Ireland (again) rejected the Lisbon Treaty and (again) were told to vote again, and (again) they dutifully did as they were told.
In the EU’s version of democracy, every ‘no’ vote is provisional, while every ‘yes’ vote is final.
If the wishes of the British people are now to be respected, it will be the first time in the history of the EU that this has happened. So, it is no surprise to see various people calling for a revote.
But if we do have another vote and reverse the previous answer, what then? Best of three perhaps? And if we again vote ‘no’, do we just keep on voting till we give the answer they want?
Come to that, what will the question be?
Hugo Miller, Arun Coaches
