How is the UK ever going to force a Brexit rethink on an unwilling establishment? Labour, Tories and Reform will never face facts, so only the @LibDems provide a chance under the present system. But the LibDems did not campaign for the EU at the last election, shame on them - they just buried it in their manifesto. Hoping for change is like hoping to win the lottery. Campaigning can take a century, witness women's emancipation. The present system of political governance will only deliver rejoining the EU if the LibDems campaign for it at the next election, make common cause with Greens, SNP, Plaid Cymru and Alliance, and attract enough support to deliver a hung parliament. Is that really democratic? Should we rely on such happenstance to get Britain out of its hole? Only a written constitution can end the absolute power of the governing party to do as it likes. How about a proportion of the electorate having the RIGHT to force a referendum? Answer: written constitution. How about a federal UK (like the LibDems own structure, I believe)? Answer: written constitution. How about stopping the hard right stripping Brits of their rights? Answer: written constitutution. How about stopping the greedy extracting cash from the pockets of the people? Answer: written constitution. Nothing will change without fundamental reform. Are you for it or would you rather maintain the status quo? If you are for a democratic written constitution, then at least read the one on offer at £1.99 for discussion at or read the book (e-book £4.99 ISBN 9781907230226, or print) And if you can't be bothered, or think having an unwritten constitution that gives absolute power to the State and steadily erodes our rights is just fine, then don't ever complain about any government policy again.

UK democracy is visibly failing. We have a cult of one leader sets all policy, dominates the media. This is not representative democracy, I am old enough to recall open hustings where all could ask questions. Referendums are viable if options are clear and lies expunged. 2016 did not say what Leave meant and was a tower of lies @Antenor_EU4UK @dgallagher000

@davesumnersmith @Keir_Starmer Starmer should announce a referendum on rejoining the single market in next King's speech. That would break the failing Labour narrative, and finish off the Tories.

@JamesMelville You are right on so many points here. Some details, e.g. EFTA members have right to join EEA if they wish. Other European countries can apply direct to EEA but have no right to join. Also the Lugano convention is needed to enforce legal actions. Question: would EFTA have UK back?

@SuzieWo20886208 British politics needs to realign: closed vs. open. What we are getting is closed vs. pretend open, actually closet-closed. Best for @UKLabour to go way of @Conservatives , oblivion in a decade, and a new progressive party arise from @LibDems and @TheGreenParty

@JPThrough1 Why does nobody ever say we paid EU about 1% of the trade benefits we got, as a reduced-rate contribution to the cost of running the SM and CU?

Cameron's big mistake was to use his majority to block an SNP amendment to the Referendum Bill that would have required all four nations to vote Leave for Leave to be valid. Instead he created an ugly precedent that English numbers must overrule all else. The better course of action would have been "Of course, but at least 3 out of 5 - a majority of the nations as well as a majority of votes" (including Gibraltar)

@LibDems Well said about Trump and Gaza. Now be bold about the EU. Nobody else bar the Greens and national parties will do so. About three-fifths of the electorate will agree. @EdwardJDavey

@colinrtalbot All political and governance communications at all times should be "clear, fair, and not misleading". This is UK financial services law. Time for a written constitution.

@SuzieWo20886208 You say Britain is 19th century but its governance is straight out of the 17th century

This morning I made a quick list of what is wrong with British political governance. Here it is, unsorted, with overlaps. Have I missed anything major? 1. Mess caused by failed policies of austerity and Brexit 2. Starmer planning next GE around NHS, avoiding Farage in red wall seats 3. NI – Scotland – Wales 4. Gibraltar and Spain. Overseas territories have no representation in UK politics. 5. Lack of written constitution. But UK had parts of one in EU. 6. Unstable politics, nonsense consultations e.g. imperial measures 7. The younger generations are unhappy – house prices, Brexit, lack of any influence 8. Sheer complexity of 21st century world cannot be handled by centralised government. 9. PM has too much power, job is almost impossible to fill 10. “Strategic” choice for next election – closed vs Europe, but risk of closed vs divided progressives 11. Proportional representation may disappoint, could let Farage hold balance of power 12. Electorate gets to vote on one major issue every five years: - 1997 New start with younger PM - 2001, 2005 Let them carry on - 2010 Austerity, but tax favours for the well-off, public service cuts for the many - 2015 Aspiration - 2017 Do we want radical socialism? - 2019 Get Brexit done - 2024 Get the Tories out 13. Lies, damned lies, and statistics. Simple solution. 14. House of Lords reform, empty charades without power 15. The Privy Council 16. Impossible to change anything other than trivia 17. Changes that constrain central power are overturned after a decade or two 18. Changes that enhance central power become permanent and unchallengeable. 19. No requirement for constitutional lock to protect smaller nations in referendums, ugly Brexit precedent that English numbers must prevail 20. The entire constitution is thick sludge: read the H of C paper and ask what is democratic about it? 21. The (reduced) commitment to the environment 22. The financial system limit – debt cannot expand to infinity, cost of private sector debt service is now an unrecognised drag on economic growth 23. The coming recession, partly caused by Trump 24. Britain's imperial delusions 25. Ignorance among politicians, too insulated from reality 26. Not enough good people come forward to serve 27. Tight Treasury control, people cannot relate public spending to taxes raised 28. Politicians talk growth but deliver lower living standards... then hide the effect statistically 29. Too many examples of extreme State power, e.g. environmental protesters getting severe sentences 30. Co-existence of centralised State and centralised media, lies travel quickly, questionable standards 31. Political donations 32. Infrastructure, e.g. HS2 and the third Heathrow runway 33. Broad disillusion with our politics, falling turnout for elections. 34. Defence hollowed out 35. Too many signs of deepening poverty

@austin_maureen @PippaCrerar That is the theory, but theory and practice differ. The PM makes all critical decisions and forces his judgement upon us all. The USA state governments have considerable power, despite the havoc that Trump is causing

@am_draper @PippaCrerar The US constitution is a poor model. Germany, Canada, Australia, Swirzerland, even Italy have some good points in their constitutions.

@David__Osland Owners of the water industry have picked the pockets of the British people for long enough, now their managers claim the same rights. All that is needed is competent management and an end to financial engineering

@sonofr @Keir_Starmer Cabinet rebellion needed to dump Starmer. No other way. Heading for defeat by Farage in 2029 otherwise.

@TeagueRoger @gavinesler Very few private members' bills make it into law

@UKGastroDr Bureaucratic targets never work in the NHS

@JulianHeather1 Starmer is writing himself into the history books as another in a long line of dud prime ministers. The people of Britain can do better than most PMs since Attlee and Macmillan

RT @RejoinP: 💥Hit the like 👍 & Retweet button if you agree that Brexit is the greatest barrier to Growth. #ExitBrexit