Encyclopedia of Opinion
Question
What are the options on a second Brexit referendum?
Position5 of 6
Referendum between the May plan and canceling Brexit
Argument2 of 2

A No-Deal Brexit is the worst-of-all-worlds scenario

There is agreement on all sides that a no-deal Brexit would damage the country. Therefore, it need not be in the second referendum.

The argument

With that being said, the option to leave the EU without a deal should not be on the table. Also, if a no-deal option remains on the ballot with the option to remain in the EU, it would split the Brexiteer vote. This could result in a majority voting for Brexit but the Remain option winning out of the three. This would undermine the legitimacy of the second referendum. Therefore, there should be no No-Deal option on the ballot.

Context

In the fiasco that is Brexit, there is only one thing that politicians on all side of the political divide agree on: that leaving the EU without a deal would be of significant detrimental effect to the country.

Premises

[P1]A no-deal exit is the worst-of-all-worlds outcome and should not be an option on a second referendum. [P2] Including no-deal alongside remain would split the Brexiteer vote, so a pro-Brexit majority could still lose to remain among three options, undermining the referendum's legitimacy. [C] Therefore the second referendum should be between the May plan and cancelling Brexit, with no No-Deal option on the ballot.

Counter-arguments

Politicians no longer agree that a no-deal departure would be the worst-case scenario. The deal The deal Theresa May bought back from Brussels was so flawed and missed so many of Brexit voters’ core concerns, that many in the Conservative party, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, would now prefer a no-deal Brexit to the one on offer in May’s deal.

Rejecting the premises

Not all politicians believe a no-deal is the worst option now. Many now believe May’s deal is. Therefore, a no-deal Brexit should be on offer in a second referendum.