LeaveHQ,
03/11/2017
We're not the sort to say "you lost, get over it", but you remainers most definitely did
lose. Some are suggesting this was down to dark money from Russia. This
is with a view to de-legitimising the result.
If there is
credible evidence to suggest Russia may have attempted to influence the
vote then it should be fully investigated - but it changes nothing. The
most compelling evidence we have seen suggests a campaign of Twitter bot
activity, largely replicating kipperish material which would have been
disseminated anyway. While it may be unethical and deeply suspect, there
is no tangible proof that it changed minds.
Unless it can
categorically be said that Russia agents infiltrated the UK and tampered
with the ballot boxes, this was as free and fair a vote as you are ever
likely to see. There are many aspects of our democracy we can hold in
question but the security and sanctity of the polling booth is the one
thing we need not question.
There are still questions to be
resolved as to the accounting practices of Vote Leave, and Arron Banks
looks dodgier by the day, but this is largely a matter for the
authorities and has no real bearing on the outcome.
Supposing
the leave campaign overspent or had help from Russian bots, leave was
still up against a remain inclined television media, remain inclined
academia and a remain inclined government - who produced, at the cost of
£9m, a booklet distributed to every household explaining why we should
remain in the EU.
Additionally we had several months of fierce
debate where everybody who wanted a say had a say. All the economic
arguments were heard. All the options were explained - not least by us. Every celebrity,
every MP and every international statesman was heard. The Bank of
England made its views known. President Obama made his views known. The
head of the WTO also made his views known. Morning, noon and night we
were subjected to the views of of virtually everybody but the Queen
herself.
In the end the result was a rejection of the status
quo having been harangued by the great and the good, patronised and
labelled with all the names under the sun. Against a backdrop of
stagnating growth and growing inequality, the public decided to send a
message to the powers that be. Leave didn't win it. Remain lost it. And
deservedly so. What were they thinking putting Geldof and Izzard front
and centre?
There's a lot of questions that need to be asked;
The corrupt relationship between the Tories and the grubby world of
right wing think tanks for starters. Arron Banks and Farage also have
questions to answer. A lot of people used the referendum as a vehicle
for self advancement and enrichment and a lot of people made a few quid.
It is necessary to investigate and expose that - but to say that we are
feeble minded serfs hypnotised by Russian Twitter bots is exactly the
kind of insult that lost it for remain.
Like it or not,
remainers will have to come to terms with the fact that we are leaving
the EU because more people put their crosses in the leave box than remain. You may
be able to prove that Russian activity amplified the messages of the
leave narrative but ultimately remain failed to counter it with anything
inspiring or believable. Referendums are about offer and counter offer.
A lot of people asked "what has the status quo done for me lately?".
Neither Labour nor the Tories nor the remain campaign had an adequate
reply. That is why we are leaving.
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