Following the EU Referendum vote in favour of “Leave” and in the fourth of his Brexit articles – Reflections on Brexit 4 – The rude awakening – British expatriate Michael Carberry writes:

“What could have caused such a debacle?”

“Cameron ignored the golden rule about referendums i.e. that one should only ever give the voters a choice between an outcome which the government wants and has planned for, or the status quo.”

“To allow voters to reject the status quo with no clear alternative, leaving them open to the blandishments of a motley assortment of ultra-nationalists, racists, xenophobes, and self-interest groups with no responsibility for delivering on the wild promises they were making, was not simply foolish but appallingly irresponsible”

“It turned what was supposed to be a referendum on EU membership into a vote of confidence in David Cameron’s government.”

You can find his complete series of four articles below:

Reflections on Brexit 4 – The rude awakening

Reflexions on Brexit – 3. A Question of Sovereignty

Reflections on Brexit 2 The Great Delusion

Reflections on Brexit – 1. The Great Mistake