The Side That Decides

Of course referendums are won and lost on the votes of Labour supporters. They are held on constitutional questions, and while Labour supporters often have very strong views indeed on those, they have them in pursuance of first principles, not as first principles in themselves.

Thus, while SNP supporters were obviously in favour of Scottish independence, and while Conservative supporters in Scotland are even now sometimes referred to as "Unionists", the deciding question was how well or how badly independence would serve the interests of the Labour Movement and of its core communities. 

That Movement and those communities were split on that, but the eventual result was decisively for No. Now the Union has to serve those interests, as without them there would no longer be a Union, whether in the present or, as a second referendum looks ever more likely, in the future.

Similarly, while Liberal Democrat supporters have come to be defined by their support for the EU, and while Conservative supporters were already either strongly pro-Leave or strongly pro-Remain on ideological grounds, the deciding question was how well or how badly British membership of the EU had served the interests of the Labour Movement and of its core communities. 

That Movement and those communities were split on that, but the eventual result was decisively for Leave. Now Brexit has to serve those interests, as without them there would be no Brexit, whether in the present or, as a second referendum looks ever more likely, in the future.

My crowdfunding page has been taken down without my knowledge or consent. But you can still email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com instead, and that address accepts PayPal.