AV> 26 Jun 2016 10:28:38, you wrote to Michiel van der Vlist:
MvdV>>> Officially they are not out yet, but for all intents and purposes MvdV>>> they are. They can call for another referendum but even if they MvdV>>> succeed in getting it, nothing will come of it. DR>> No, you are completely wrong. Nothing has happened yet
AV> Really? :-)
DR>> and will not until the next prime minister decides to invoke Article DR>> 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon. As it'll take another three months to DR>> select a new leader of the Conservatives, and thus prime minister, DR>> then nothing will happen until at least September/October.
AV> Who cares of that? AV> Once the people said they want to leave, there's no way back except AV> common joining procedure.
Wrong again! The referendum does not, in itself, set anything in motion. In fact it is no more than advisory and never has been anything else. The people themselves do not trigger anything.
The result of the referendum is taken back to parliament and parliament decides on the next move.
David Cameron said that he would abide by the result of the referendum but, now he has resigned, his successor *could* ignore the result. It's not likely that he or she will but it is entirely possible.
In fact, one possible scenario is that the next prime minister will immediately call a general election, thus delaying things even further. Then if the Labour Party (who are mostly against leaving) get in, the next Labour Prime Minister could, just could, have a vote in the Commons to ignore the referendum, and/or have a new one which would go the other way. And I say that because people are beginning to wake up to the fact that all that was promised by Brexit is just not going to materialise.
I'm not saying that will happen. All I'm saying is that, constitutionally, it *could* happen.
David
-- Formerly ICHTHUS (Reading) UK (1987-2007 R.I.P.) (2:292/854.110)
