How can Britain fix Brexit?

Parliament's rejection of Theresa May's Brexit plan has created a democratic mess. The Economist's Britain editor, Tom Wainwright, explains how the country got into this muddle, and the solution for getting out.

[vksepe]

Well in fairness. I hope our political/economic turmoil acts as a lesson to the rest of the Europe. A lesson in what not to do.

[unpaidtroll]

the only way is to let the clock run out and NO DEAL. EU will be desperate for a deal once UK is out. This is not a game.

[Aarya-ynlx]

The rest of the world is now showing its 'I told you so' face

[tellingfoxtales]

The idea that a deal wherein we remain in the customs union could be described as a 'hard brexit' is laughable.

[Hockeyskill]

I am a die hard believer that representative democracies are the best form of government, however I believe that referendums are not an effective way of governing. I am an American and I hope governing through referendum does not happen here because unfortunately people don’t really know what they want or don’t understand the long term political consequences of every decision. For example, in California, they had a referendum to lower taxes and of course it passed but they also had a different referendum to expand government aid to the elderly and it passed. These two things can not both happen, it’s basic accounting. Additionally, I would argue brexit is extremely undemocratic, because in the United States if a decision is made, like say the Democratics pass universal healthcare. The people who are against it can challenge it throughout the rollout process, (like challenge it in the courts, states’ governments, etc). What we are seeing in the United Kingdom is one side winning by 2% and the other side being told to shut up and accept it. Something I would argue is undemocratic. If there’s one thing that business dislike more than taxes and unnecessary regulations, it’s uncertainty. And the rise of reactionary politics in the West have caused great uncertainty. Reactionary parties are great at being in the opposition but are terrible at governing, because they campaign in the abstract.

[dennis]

STAY LONGER? There was no vote to stay longer! The Law says you just leave after this period so Britain is right on schedule with no problems at all.

[russellhogben]

Although I’m a remainer part of me thinks we should have the hardest Brexit possible, a sudden severing with all the mess, confusion and harm that would follow. Only then will the die hard brexiteers see for themselves the reality of the ‘paradise’ they were promised.

[pelegrino]

Brexit at all cost even whitout a deal. We are all fed up with this tragic farce. It has to stop as soon as possible.

[Ucheva]

Just give power back to the Queen already.

[pdgarciac]

How many times does the same question need to be asked, to get the desired response? No is No and the reason GB asked to leave the EU, was the Debt pressure, imposed socialism and dire consequences of being in the EU. This has not changed in the EU. It will not change. The government now needs to work on the trade conditions and regulations. If the EU refuses, then so be it. Forcing someone to be in something for their benefit is not proper. Asking the same question over and over again until you force them to answer what you desire is not proper either.

[Blazegraze]

How can Britain fix Brexit? Simple cancel it if it has any common sense left (which at this point looks very doubtful that it has).

[iheartlreoy]

We don’t need a second referendum, MPs clearly have their instruction: LEAVE! While they vote on the deals presented they need to do so with the goal of LEAVING in mind.

[evaristegalois]

[insert controversial political comment]

[ALA-uvjq]

If you ask an economist, they will always say its about the money. Nothing else matters.

[tpmbe]

It is terrible when we can't trust our politicians to deliver the Brexit that people voted to leave EU. Our politicians are to blame, they have failed to deliver the peoples binary choice to leave. Sad that democratic politics in the UK has deteriorated to the level of chaos we now see

[jc]

Britain wasn't offered 'a different type of brexit' in the 2016 referendum, it was offered brexit or no brexit. That was one of the flaws of the whole referendum debacle, which was pointed out at the time. The government now has a mandate for brexit - whether it be hard, soft or scrambled. This video seems to be a thinly veiled trope to overturn the referendum result, nothing more nothing less...

[billyb]

Dissolve parliament and honor the will of the people.

[stefanbraem]

It will take a number of generations to get over this mistake, for every country in the EU and the UK. I still can’t understand how the Brits ever got convinced how Brexit was a good idea...

[davidbrewer]

Actually if the government were to deliver what the majority asked for then a second referendum would not be required. It is not BREXIT which is wrong...it is May's lousy deal which is wrong by failing to deliver this required departure. The solution is to renegotiate for a better exit deal by being more forceful but May is not going to be able to do this nor is she willing to change her deal & there is also now not enough time without an extension. A new PM (Borris?) & an extension is the solution...

[whoflungdung]

Brexit ain't broken, we're leaving in March. If we don't then democracy will be broken.