“The failure of the three Brexiteers to produce anything like a satisfactory solution makes you think that if the [parliamentary] vote were taken now, there would be a decision to remain or a decision to have another plebiscite,” said Mr Robertson. “MPs are bound to follow their conscience and to vote for what they understand to be the public good, irrespective of the views of their constituents.”
“I would encourage MPs to vote with their conscience; it's their duty,” said the lawyer. “That's how we abolished the death penalty.”
And interestingly, there's been very little attempt to reinstate the death penalty. Under some conditions, people can be quite content living with things they disagree with. Even the most representative flavour of representative democracy cannot and should not treat MPs as mere vassals of the people's will.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-ken-clarke-theresa-may-geoffrey-robertson-mps-reject-vote-conscience-duty-a7338111.html
Top lawyer is being paid by the word. What he could have said was:
ReplyDeleteMPs are free to ignore the referendum result.
Top lawyer sounds more credible with his fancy book-learnin'... 'cept we've had enough of experts.
ReplyDelete... and T Rexes should vote with their tiny little arms.
ReplyDeleteRhys Taylor But you're an expert...
ReplyDeleteThat's sounds a lot like "elected representatives should be allowed to ignore their constituents if they don't like what they are being asked to do".
ReplyDeleteJeffery Liggett It is the MPs duty to vote for what they believe will be best for the country, not what the people outside the castle with pitchforks and flaming torches want.
ReplyDeleteChris Blackmore It's pronounced FRONK-en-shteen.
ReplyDeleteChris Blackmore
ReplyDeleteAre British MPs elected representatives?
Jeffery Liggett Yup.
ReplyDeleteChris Blackmore Well the I don't know about over there but in America our elected representatives are suppose represent their constituents.
ReplyDeleteJeffery Liggett And ours are supposed to represent their constituents by voting for what they believe to be our best interests.
ReplyDelete