Why Brexit Wasn't Democratic | Anatole Kaletsky

Anatole Kaletsky explains why the Brexit referendum should never have happened in a representative democracy.

#brexit #politics #iaitv #democracy #britain #referendum

From the People's Vote to the European Elections, the future of Britain is in unchartered territory. Has our democracy been broken? Should there be a second referendum? Our speakers discuss what went wrong in Brexit, where we currently stand and how to navigate that uncertain future.

Mark Francois: Mark Francois MP is a British Conservative Party politician and former lobbyist. In 2018, he was appointed the Deputy Chair and de facto "Whip" of the Conservative eurosceptic European Research Group by its Chair, Jacob Rees-Mogg. He was a prominent critic of the leadership of Theresa May during her time as leader of the Conservative Party and called for her to resign on many occasions.

Leanne Wood: Leanne Wood is a Welsh politician who served as the leader of Plaid Cymru from March 2012 to September 2018, and has served as Member of the National Assembly (AM) for Rhondda since 2016. Wood identifies as a socialist, republican and proponent of Welsh independence.

Barry Gardiner: Barry Gardiner is a British Labour Party politician serving as Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade since 2016, and has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent North since 1997.

Anatole Kaletsky: Anatole Kaletsky is an economist and journalist writing for The Economist, The Financial Times and The Times of London before joining Reuters and The International Herald Tribune in 2012. He has been named Newspaper Commentator of the Year in the BBC’s What the Papers Say awards, and has twice received the British Press Award for Specialist Writer of the Year.

DELVE DEEPER

[DonSuperbe]

As a citizen of Switzerland I can only shake my head upon hearing these arguments. The sheer disregard by the pseudo-elites for these all too rare pure expressions of true basic democracy in other countries is always mind-boggling for Swiss people.

[Whizzy-jxqe]

Democracy in the uk isn't for the many, it's for the few, the few who can manipulate those in order to achieve their aims and objectives Brexit being an example.

[PhillipYewTree]

This begs the question that democracy IS parliamentary democracy. I am a UK citizen, and have voted in every election for the last 50 years, yet I have NEVER been consulted on my preferences over significant issues. In my view, the referendum was a protest vote against an over-bloated political system by people who feel disenfranchised by over confident individuals who are riddled with hubris. I see myself as European, and a member of a World community. I do not want to leave Europe, but, i am also discontented with the European system of autocracy. Many others feel the same, which is why so many people voted to leave.

[petercdowney]

Whenever a Brexiter accuses me of being anti-democratic, that's when I conclude that I can't have a civilised debate with them. Then I have to play Rammstein at full volume to send them running!

[charbax]

Russiand/Trump bots are down-ranking this video. Truth hurts the Brexiteer.

[Jamie_Johnson]

You cannot leave a fundamental decision about who governs us to parliament.
The electorate had a right to express their wishes on their membership of the EU, which has changed dramatically since the last referendum, with major treaties being passed without public consultation (despite unkept promises). Democracy literally means People + Power. You can’t change the meaning of the word!

[AnonAsh]

I disagree with the statement that this wasn't democratic. Yes, we have representatives who we democratically elect, but we can hold referendums in which single decisions can be arrived through a vote, like the Scottish referendum

[chriswhitt]

By far the best explanation I've heard on the great smoke and mirrors fiasco of Brexit.
Bravo sir.

[karstenschuhmann]

Switzerland shows that referenda are a viable way to go. It, however, requires certain parameters:
1. Advantages and downsides of the positive and the negative decision need to be discussed in detail.

2. The public needs to be willing to inform themselves.
3. The government should be able to stop the execution of this decision if it leads to unforeseeable consequences.

[chadleach]

The reason that does not hold up is simple, elected reps abdicated the responsibility of deciding to the people. This is just an example of some people being sore losers.

[lesferguson]

" You can't ask the people a simple yes / no question " the arrogance of these people is beyond belief

[pigofapilot]

Let us not forget that the UK was also taken into the (then) common-market via a referendum and so two 'wrongs' do not make a 'right'. Democracy is the national right of self-determination by public ballot and it can be argued that a referendum is the only democratic way of solving matters of political self-determination. It is actually the party-system that is faulty. Representative democracy only genuinely works with completely independent MPs representing a constituency via their individual manifesto. That is the only manner in which the electorate can make informed decisions about their representative and hold him directly to account. We are actually living in a plutocracy constructed by the global financial/corporate sectors (the EU). If you are honest with the electorate you would need to explain that democracy and neoliberal globalism are incompatible. Neoliberal economics are also an issue requiring serious debate.

[jasonaus]

Did people vote? Yes. What was the result? To leave. You leave

[DarkAngelOfHellingly]

And neither was taking us into the EU in 1993 democratic.

[brucegibbins]

As a furriner I have no horse in this race so you British just go ahead with this messy business for as long as you can stand it. What I will say though is that the first of many mistakes was to allow a simple magority, or what the last speaker described as a threshold, he suggested 60%, my own experience goes out as far as 70%. This motivates voter's to get off their dates and vote in greater numbrrs because the stakes are higher and more difficult to achieve.

[buttheyreinvestmentsdear]

The voters should not have been lied to for forty years about the true nature of the long term plan for the Common Market/European Economic Community/European Community other.

[rg]

Representative democracy keeps “the people” out of decision making that affects every aspect of their lives which is exactly why it’s the system that was chosen. The political class, donor class, business class etc. arrogantly and with nothing but complete contempt for regular people, you know the bewildered herd, are the only ones responsible enough (sarcasm) for the job. So yes, the whole for the people by the people, blah blah blah. Just run along now and let the serious criminals oops...I mean, the serious “representatives” make the hard decisions for you. That way you don’t have to worry your pretty little head with all this hard decision making. Your welcome.

[snoortpod]

"How many ages hence Shall this our lofty scene be acted over In states unborn and accents yet unknown"

[midgetporn]

Based on his own logic we should never have joined the EEC in 1975

[adawuz]

Interesting, yes. Very interesting and very much right...