"The only way we progress is by open dialogue, debate and consensus." Agreed, and the way

we get those three things is emphatically not by holding a referendum. To say that MPs making a decision like whether to leavean international treaty is undemocratic is to miss another point. It isn't mob-rule, which is the ultimate democracy, but neither is it autocracy. It's a type of pragmatic democracy. It's not great, but I haven't seen anything better. And don't confuse the current electoral system with parliamentary democracy. Proportional representation is fairer in principle. Whether it would lead to better government is another argument for pragmatists. The fact that it may have led to more MPs of a party you or I don't like is a price we'd pay for the "fairness".

Posted By: Higher Wrather, Aug 21, 18:18:32