RA "We would also do well to recognise that the electorate contains a sizeable number of people who haven’t a clue as far as anything beyond basic numeracy"
Whereas the parliamentarians who many believe are more capable decision makers have a wonderful line in numeracy, Miss Abbott?
RA "a greater exercise in democracy rather than the challenge to the democratic process that Adi seems to imply."
I was listening to radio 4 on Sunday when they were debating whether this is a constitutional crisis as well as a brexit crisis. Bercow's unilateral bending of long standing parliamentary rules to enable the Grieve amendment may have been a pragmatic solution to help speed the process, but its long term consequences are more worrying.
The disconnect between the for and against Brexit individuals and the traditional Tory v Labour core vote presents a huge challenge to or current parliamentary system on both sides of the house. The two party system (briefly 3 on a couple of occasions) and "first past the post" is severely compromised by the non alignment of Brexit views and party views. If you think people are confused on a referendum vote, how will they be able to evaluate the election which the opportunistic Corbyn is chasing?
Tories, traditionally Remainers, standing on an enforced Brexit vote. Labour, traditionally anti EU standing on a ticket to prevent Brexit after the May deal is rejected? The misalignment between the issues and party politics will never be so stressed, and an election would be no way to solve a single issue such as this one: it should be sorted by parliamentary consensus, not even more divisiveness.
If ever there was a call for an STV or proportional representation, this must be it. Or better yet the abandonment of the party system in order that a cross party faction, be it remain or Brexit, can take up the reins with a clear mandate. Our parliamentary system relies on a fusion of executive, legislative and judicuary powers to create an unwritten constitution - unlike for example in the USA where legislative and executive are expressly separated. Toss into this the new necessity of a 4th dimension - the plebiscite - and we are well ****ed. Yes a constitutional crisis to add on to everything else