The high court has decided that MPs must have a vote on triggering Brexit. Three senior judges ruled on Thursday that the government could not press ahead with its plans to begin the formal process of departing the EU without first consulting MPs and peers.
Some have argued that this is a breach of democracy, and that the decision has been made and it’s now up to the government to set the timetable for our departure. However, others believe this is an opportunity to scrutinise further Theresa May’s plans. How do those who voted leave feel about the ruling? Here, a group of Brexiters explain.
Thomson Parker-Jarvis, 59, from Sheffield: ‘I am fed up of the so-called elite not listening to us’
I am old enough to remember when we joined the EU and it was sold then as us entering the common market. But I believe they knew from the start that they wanted it to be something else: a superstate, which I have never agreed with. Finally, we were given the chance to vote on our membership in a referendum and people made their decision clear: we want control of our own destiny.
However, clearly the political elite think we are too stupid to make this choice, something they’ve been telling us for the past year, and I take unkindly to that. The tone is that we’ve made a mistake and they want to resist it. They want us to stay in, but it will never work. I am talking as someone who has travelled Europe and spoken to people in other countries who are similarly disillusioned: they want the common market but to remain independent countries.
People want to discuss the terms of Brexit but the truth is that Theresa May must go and negotiate that. Stalling the decision will change nothing, we need to just sit down and talk to our European neighbours about our options. The court ruling will just make getting on with this 10 times harder.
I have never been a protester but if Brexit was stopped by putting obstacles in its way then I, and a lot of other people, would take to streets. People are fed up with not being listened to. We are fed up of the so-called elite not listening to us and we suffer. They gave us a vote, and we voted. As May says: “Out is out, so let’s get out.”
Sarah Newton, 47, from Northampton: ‘Having a government dictated by legislators is like going back in time’
I have no issue with immigration, that was not my reason for voting leave. I voted for Brexit to escape the bureaucracy of the European Union and I wanted us to regain control over legislation in this country. The latest ruling is yet more evidence for why this was the right decision. The country should not be ruled by any court system – including any European courts – and I am now more determined than ever to go. It’s dreadful that democracy can be overturned in court by law.
I am not sure what I would do if Brexit was blocked. Everyone who votes leave gets grouped together as racist bigots, but that’s not true for the majority. I wouldn’t protest as I wouldn’t want to be put in that bracket, but I wouldn’t keep quiet either. To me court system overruling democracy is dangerous – I cannot believe it can even happen, remainers should be worried about this too.
Some may argue that this decision will just force Theresa May to be more transparent about her plans, or perhaps trigger another election. However, the fact that the court has any say in what happens next is worrying. Why do we have democracy if we then don’t listen to the will of the people? Having a government dictated by legislators is like going back in time. It feels difficult to get my head around this.
Hamzah Bawkher, 35, from London: ‘The UK can recover from any impacts of Brexit more quickly if we get on with it’
When the referendum started, I was in the remain camp, but my opinion gradually shifted because of certain things, such as how the European Union treated Greece. People talk about remaining for unity but they weren’t very supportive of the Greeks. I also voted for more transparency and feel the EU needs a lot of reform. I had some voter’s remorse when I woke up the next day but now I stand by my decision. A lot needs to be sorted out to make it work, but leaving is the best way forward. I am, however, in favour of a soft Brexit, not a hard one.
I find the court ruling this week really strange. If you have a referendum and then don’t listen to the result – then what was the point of holding it in the first place? Was it just a polling exercise? I feel frustrated and confused because all these setbacks are just causing more economic confusion. The UK can recover from any of the impacts of Brexit more quickly if we just get on with it.
I agree that the terms of leaving should be discussed, but we need to approach it from the standpoint that Brexit is definitely happening.
Anonymous: ‘Blocking Brexit would be absolutely disastrous for democracy’
As a leave voter enamoured of British democracy, I welcome the court judgment on the supremacy of parliament. This was a decision made by British judges, in accordance with the law, by due process. It is one of the things I voted for.
I am, though, glad that the confirmation of parliamentary supremacy has taken some time to achieve. In the immediate aftermath of the vote, far too many foolish MPs were talking of defying the vote or a second referendum to get the “correct” result. That would have been – and would still be – absolutely catastrophic. There are still those who seem to take this line of knowing better than the electorate, but I trust wiser heads will prevail.
Leaving the EU while retaining some degree of access to the single market, together with whatever concessions on free movement are required to secure this, is the only way forward. Blocking Brexit altogether, especially if that block was perceived to come from inside the Labour party, would be absolutely disastrous for democracy. I trust that anyone who defies Jeremy Corbyn’s eminently sensible line on the Brexit vote in the Houses of Parliament – if the court of appeal confirms it is necessary – will lose the Labour whip immediately, and that the party can go into the expected general election uncontaminated by such foolishness.
