Will a second referendum be just another Brexit fantasy? | Martin Kettle

Support is growing for a People’s Vote. It could backfire spectacularly

At every turn, the politics of the Brexit process have been riddled with disastrous illusions: the referendum would settle the issue once and for all; leaving would mean a cash harvest for the NHS; an early general election would give the government a mandate; no deal would be better than a bad deal; as Brexit neared, the country would come together.

It was all wishful thinking, as most illusions are. We are now up to our collective necks in the consequences. Most of the wishfulness was on the side of the leavers and of the two most recent Conservative leaders. Now, though, it is the remainers who have to ask themselves whether they, in their turn, are not falling for another Brexit illusion – this time in the shape of a second referendum, or the so-called People’s Vote.

A significant shift from leave to remain since 2016 among voters in 100 Labour seats could be a game-changer

Related: Brexit: now it’s a battle over who governs Britain | Martin Kettle

The consequences could be as complex and difficult as the consequences of the first vote have proved to be

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