Interpreting Brexit:

The UK EU referendum result and current government policy

The question on the UK referendum ballot paper was "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?"

There was no mention of immigration on that paper, by making immigration a key point, in fact, a non-negotiable point, Theresa May is interpreting the answer but she lacks a mandate from the referendum to do so.

This is a pretty crucial legal/political issue... If I asked you "Do you want the blue one or the pink one?" and you replied "the blue one", it would be illegitimate for me to extrapolate from that that you also didn't want the yellow one...

It is pushing the limits of a mandate and sets a highly dangerous precedent, because it means fundamentally that I can ask you any "either or" question I wish but interpret your reply as meaning anything I want it to. In other words, a government can do just what PM May is currently doing, and take any measures they wish using a flimsy, badly thought out, closely run consultation process to justify their actions, bypassing any checks or balances. As with children, governments need boundaries, and this one doesn't have them.

Neither Remainers nor Brexiters should stand for this. But Brexiters... Oh well, one day soon their heedless complaisance will come back and bite them on the bum...

Clariana