Does Anyone Still Think There Will Be A Referendum On Europe In 2017?

[Gromit]

and, if the Conservatives don't get a majority, isn't it rather undemocratic to proceed with one anyway?

[youngmafbog]

No, there wont be.

And no it would not be undemocratic to hold one.

[Old_Geezer]

Since I believe a majority of citizens want one, what the parties want should be irrelevant in a democracy. It would be undemocratic not to hold one, whoever gets in.

[ToraToraTora]

There won't be but not because of some warped lefty interpretation of what is democratic but because most politicians have thier snouts in or hope to have, now, look no further if you are looking for what is "undemocratic".How can letting the people decide something be anything other than purely democratic? Ok I'll play, what if we had a referendum to decide if we have a referendum on the EU? If the whoever gets into no 10, has the most seats and the most votes then I'd say they won. I guess if it's millipede you'll probably shut up about this silly interpretation.

[bhg481]

Is it ever undemocratic to hold a referendum?

At election time we vote for the candidate who holds the views nearest to our own but I've never found a candidate or a party that I agree with totally eg, I don't suppose all the people who work at Fastlane agree with abandoning nuclear weapons (and their jobs) but many will vote SNP. A referendum gives you an opportunity to "fine tune" your election-time vote.

[jno]

if people have deliberately voted for parties which have promised not to hold a referendum... that's a referendum.

[naomi24]

If the Conservatives get in, I'll be very disappointed if there isn't.

[anotheoldgit]

It is undemocratic not to have a Referendum.

Let the people haver a choice.

[Old_Geezer]

Not really jno, because the party's manifesto lies comes as a single package. Referenda only really work on single issues.

[Gromit]

// Since I believe a majority of citizens want one, what the parties want should be irrelevant in a democracy. It would be undemocratic not to hold one, whoever gets in. //

The only way to get an answer off of the population is for them to vote. If the party promising a referendum does not win a majority of the seats, it is difficult to argue that a majority of the population want it. Unless people who say they want a referendum are voting for parties that are not promising one.

[Old_Geezer]

On the contrary it is dead easy to argue that, as per my previous post.

[naomi24]

As far as I'm aware only two parties have promised a referendum - the Conservatives and Ukip. If any of the others are successfully elected, I wouldn't expect a referendum.

[ToraToraTora]

you are saying the same as jno gromit. A GE is not a one issue thing, people may want a referendum but not above all else so it's undemocratic to make assumptions about intentions on one subject when it is buried in a package of other things. I have no doubt many Labour supporters are anti EU but that would not induce them to vote Tory just for the referendum would it?

[youngmafbog]

It is unlikely that any party will represent more than a third of the population and even then as pointed out above it does not mean they all agree with all the manifesto.

And that works for ALL the parties.

On something as important as the EU and our future a dedicated referendum, in or out is the best way to move on and see, without doubt, how the country wants to be ruled. Whichever way that turns out.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// The only way to get an answer off of the population is for them to vote. If the party promising a referendum does not win a majority of the seats, it is difficult to argue that a majority of the population want it. Unless people who say they want a referendum are voting for parties that are not promising
one. ///

People don't just vote a party in because of just one set issue, the only way to get the people's true feelings on being in Europe or coming out is to hold a referendum on that one set issue, 'IN' or 'OUT'.

Who apart from the Conservatives and UKIP are prepared to give the people a choice?

[jno]

OG, if there was a plethora of parties across the spectrum promising a referendum, that would be true; but I think that, conveniently, only the Tories and Ukip have promised one, and both have made it a major plank of their platform. Combining their votes ought to give us a reasonable guide to just how popular the idea is, at least among those who actually vote.

[ToraToraTora]

hogwash, jno, it's one issue, tells us nothing, there are Tories who are pro EU too you know, would they vote Labour? Think it through!

[Canary42]

There will possibly be a referendum on Europe in 2017 - in Greece !

[Hypognosis]

@TTT (and, obliquely, @Gromit)

//I have no doubt many Labour supporters are anti EU but that would not induce them to vote Tory just for the referendum would it?/:

I am going to hold my nose and vote Tory, *solely* to get this damn referendum done. I expect to lose friends over it, if they find out. If the Tories welch on this promise, you will never stop hearing about it. Clegg's broken promise only affected one small sector of the population and look what happened to him!

[ToraToraTora]

well, clearly an important issue for you hypo, I respect your intentions.

[bhg481]

There is a huge difference between not promising to have a referendum and promising not to have a referendum.
Have any parties promised NOT to have a referendum?