‘The people spoke, and by a huge majority voted for the name Boaty McBoatface. Embarrassed officials rejected the choice and instead named the £200 million ship after the famous naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough. But as a nod to the democratic process they allowed silliness to prevail by preserving the name for a remotely operated submersible.’
Thursday thought: The power of democracy
It’s curious what the British Government thinks is important and what the public is capable of voting for. In the past year ‘we’ have been allowed to vote on two issues of immense importance: Brexit and the name of a boat. It is curious how the government reacted to these two issues.
In the case of a boat to explore the Antarctic, to quote The Telegraph:
So we had a ‘huge majority’ ignored and a decision made that was not voted for, despite the eventual outcome being one that no one would really resent.
And in the Brexit vote? Well, even if you are a Brexit supporter (and I am categorically a remainer) you cannot say that the vote for Brexit resulted in a ‘huge majority’ – 51.89 for Brexit and 48.1 to remain.
It is good to know that the government has its priorities right and looks into results and questions them when they are really important.
The Biking Gardener 
I don’t understand why we vote for people to represent us and make important decisions with at least more of the relevant information than we have, and they go and hold referendums. And then there is a row about the answer.
And then if they don’t get the answer they like (in Scotland) they want to ask it again. The world’s gone mad!
Yep