without going back to the people? Riots, most likely

and I'm not even joking.

I'm a staunch remainer but even I think doing that would be a bad idea.

I think the best way forward now is the compromise whereby May's deal - for sure a s**t deal but it's the deal we have - versus no deal versus remain after all is put to some kind of STV/ATV/preference referendum: or if that's too hard, which it probably is, then just May's deal vs Remain.

I don't think there's a Commons majority for that, though it would meet Tusk's criterion if spun correctly and may be the best hope.

Once again I absolutely do NOT think it given that Remain would win a second referendum. If it didn't, though, we'd at least leave without the arguments about "the people didn't know what they were voting for/the Leave campaign was so corrupt the result would have been set aside had the first referendum been binding and not merely advisory/etc". If it did, our politics would be badly fractured for some time to come: but it is anyway, and I'm coming round to the idea of a second referendum, even though - bizarrely - I find myself agreeing with Chris Grayling(!!!!) about the social risks of that.

Posted By: Old Man, Mar 20, 18:23:55