Written by: MIKLÓS LOJKÓ (University professor, Budapest/London)
Too late?
As a pragmatist, I have to say that in my view, calling a second referendum would be a blunt instrument.
It would shatter the precarious social (if not intellectual) truce that seems to be emerging with the appointment of the new government. (Truce is not the same as consensus.)
Those who voted Leave out of desperation regarding their housing, employment, health or income situation, misguided or not, would look on a second referendum as the ultimate proof that they are powerless to combat the Leviathan of the British and International Establishments. That there is no legal means at their disposal to influence the Ivory Tower of Westminster and Big Business.
They (some of them) will either resort to violence (big time) or seek to vote for quasi-Fascist parties. Perhaps move to France to be able to vote for Marine Le Pen, a charismatic demon if ever there was one.
No, I think the only viable option that remains open is to stall. To more or less sabotage the Article 50 process to the point when it becomes meaningless.
Theresa May, as a ruthless and guileful operator, can be quite capable of that actually. She could, and will I think, allow Nicola Sturgeon to pull a few constitutional tricks from up her sleeve, which would hold up, complicate and ultimately emasculate the UK's withdrawal process. In my assessment, this is what you can hope for in the current circumstances.
No amount of Putney debates would persuade the Leave voters that a second referendum is not an attack on Everyman by the Leviathan. A civil war may ensue from engineering a second referendum. The result of which would be seen as manipulative and manipulated by large numbers of people as the result of the first one is.
/ A footnote. Some of the Tories mentioned as being unable to represent the working man have been labouring people, not pampered and disconnected aristocracy. Cameron was admittedly of that ilk. Many of the new lot are not. David Davis, for instance, had to work in menial jobs for a long time simply to make ends meet. This alone doesn't make him an attractive chap in my eyes. Populism is well and alive in sweatshops as well as armchairs, as we know.
