Why Has Brexit Become Party Political

[NellieMay]

The referendum was not party political. Why were all the meetings, etc not conducted by a team of brexeteers who were the most competent and chosen from all parties. There could then have been a parliamentary vote for approval, and the strongest member of the team could lead the negotiaions with Brussels. Would this not have been fairer and more likely to be successful? Is this too simple?

Sorry if this is not in the right section. I usually avoid politics! But the present state of affairs would be laughable if it wasn't so serious!

[emmie]

its not laughable, much rides on the next week or so.
i am not in a position to offer much else as my knowledge is fairly scant on matters Brexit, but there are some clever bods out there who will shed light i am sure.

[NellieMay]

I said it would be laughable it it wasn't so serious!

[emmie]

I know, more people will come on board to answer your question just give it a few minutes.

[jno]

May's not about to offer Labour MPs a chance to share power, and I doubt Corbyn would do so either. She's got enough trouble being in hok to the DUP.

[NellieMay]

Thanks Jno. But as the referendum was nothing to do with party politics and was a democratic vote, surely brexeteer ministers and mps across the board should be included in all the negotiations.

[youngmafbog]

Although the referendum was not strictly political many even at that time tried to make it so. And this has continued.

After the referendum a fair few remainers did want cross party team set up to negotiate, some also wanted Sir Nigel as a consultant. I myself was among this number if you search the archives.

The reason it is so political now is that Labour see Treason as weak, mainly because she is, and see a chance to grab power. Hardly surprising really although in reality labour itself is split. COB is undoubtedly a leaver even thought the Union backers want to remain.

[Old_Geezer]

I susoect that governments need to govern. They may appoint MPs from other parties to committees if agreed but there's not going to be a obligation to accept recommendations. With the general desire of politicians for no change and blow the nation, Brexiteers would have been hard pushed to achieve all vital roles.

Meanwhile the Labour party as a whole seems to wish to leave the UK tied to the EU, perhaps because they feel they need to oppose government, who are trying to give the impression that their progressing Brexit. Or maybe because they really don't care for the nation's status as long as there's no hiccup in the economy.

[youngmafbog]

Given Labours history I doubt they are bothered about the economy!

[ichkeria]

I suspect Corbyn would have vetoed any attempt to engage with the Tories and team up on the negotiations. Although in theory and partly in practice the Brexit issue is not party political, I suspect also that it would have been impossible to present a coherent and united negotiating team. Or a deal that would have been popular. After all the deal we have now is a sort of compromise. And look how that’s gone down.

[youngmafbog]

A deal will never be popular with all, but it should favour the winners.

This does not.

Come to think of it doesnt favour the losers either! Only favours the EU and the Eurocrats.

[Old_Geezer]

SUSPECT

[Zacs-Master]

What's the weather like in lala land, Nellie?

[NellieMay]

Weather is wonderful and there are no smug rude people who just want to make smart remarks!

[Zacs-Master]

Well, it was a bit of a naive post love.

[NellieMay]

I

[Kromovaracun]

//Why were all the meetings, etc not conducted by a team of brexeteers who were the most competent and chosen from all parties. //

Because...
1)...all the Brexiteers fled at the first sign of responsibility.
2)... there is considerable disunity among Brexiteers (sometimes even within the same individual Brexiteer) about what Brexit should be.

As to the wider question: the referendum was to a very large extent a civil war within the Tory party. The whole reason the referendum came into existence was a promise made by Cameron because he was scared of losing UKIP votes. When the referendum actually came about, virtually all the major campaign leaders were either senior Tories or old Tories-in-exile like Farage. Outside of maybe Kate Hoey, the Labour party was pretty much absent.

So while the referendum wasn't a party-political issue in the traditional sense, it certainly was not divorced entirely from party politics.

[NellieMay]

Please don't address me as love! Actually I am not ignorant about politics. Just wanted to put things simply. My views are very similar to youngmafbog's on this topic and he gave me a sensible answer, as have others.

[NellieMay]

That was to zacsmaster

[jno]

party politics inevitably comes into play under a weak government. The Tories had a good majority but threw it away by calling a snap election.

As for MPs, some represent constituencies that voted to remain; they're under no obligation to help the government out.

[ToraToraTora]

"Why were all the meetings, etc not conducted by a team of brexeteers who were the most competent and chosen from all parties." - don't come round ere with yer common sense! Give yourself BA and indeed BQ! basically the remoaners have spent the last 2 years+ trying to scupper the democratic will of the majority of British voters. We should have sent a team headed by St Nigel Farage on day one, end of.