It’s laughable to see and hear those in the British Parliament posture and rant about the government’s ‘antidemocratic’ behaviour and ‘threats’ to democracy. Especially when one considers many on the opposition benches, including Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson, have openly stated they want stop Brexit altogether, wanting to ignore the result of 2016 and hold a second referendum.
Whether popular referendums are actually a good idea or create more problems than they’re worth is as contentious as the current predicament in British politics. However, that aside, a referendum was held and despite it being a close margin, the result was that the collective electorate of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union.
These sentiments voiced by Ms Swinson, and others like her, beg one question. Would there be calls for a second referendum from the same people if the result, even with the same close margin, went their way?
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In Ireland, where referendums are more frequent, we have seen two held in relation to European affairs, the Nice Treaty and the Lisbon Treaty. In both cases, the Irish people rejected them, initially. In both cases, it was explained to the electorate why it was wrong the first time around and it was asked to vote again. How the EU cherishes democracy.
As I’ve said, the question of whether referendums are a good idea is debatable but if they are held the result must be respected. Of course the result could be revisited but not in its immediate aftermath. It is a slippery slope and creates a dangerous precedent for respective groups to politically undermine an election of any kind, every time the vote doesn’t go their way. Thus domestic politics would descend into a dog chasing its own tail. Which in truth has been the state of affairs in the UK for the past three years.
Craig White
Address with editor
EU looks other way as Spain crushes Catalonia’s spirit
Is it a crime to want to be independent from a country? Is preparing peaceful actions to protest against the abuses of a state comparable to terrorist actions? The answer within a democratic framework would be “no”, but it turns out to be “yes” in Spain, a country that presumes to be a democracy.
However, if this were the case, there would be no Catalan political prisoners and exiles for holding a self-determination referendum. Spain is using all its energy to crush the independence movement. Unfortunately, we live in a world in which many people have suffered terrorist attacks; it’s simply too unreasonable to compare a peaceful movement with terrorist actions.
One can only painfully and helplessly watch the videos of the Spanish police forcing their entry to the home of Catalan pro-independence supporters.
A European country is acting arbitrarily, and Europe is still looking the other way. Anyone who searches pictures or videos of the independence demonstrations carried out in Catalonia will ascertain that they are exemplary for their peaceful attitude. Don’t let them accuse us of being terrorists. Where are you Europe? Where are the human rights you speak so much about? When you finally intervene, it may be too late.
Lola Salmerón
Catalonia, Spain
Full marks for speed of exam results and college offers
Credit where credit is due, so top marks to the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and the Central Applications Office (CAO) for making Leaving Cert results, Leaving Cert subject appeal results and college offers available much earlier this year.
The twin towers of Irish education took on board not only the letter but the spirit of the legal judgment in the High Court action taken by student Rebecca Carter last year. Mr Justice Richard Humphreys ruled that Rebecca, whose total score in one subject was incorrectly computed, be allowed to immediately take up her place in veterinary medicine at UCD. Otherwise she would have had to wait a year due to the late release of subject appeal results on October 10, 2018.
The SEC issued subject appeal results much earlier this year, on September 18. Appeal applicants who qualified for further CAO choices were offered their courses on September 20, in time for the current academic year. Great work, indeed.
Ireland is fortunate to have the SEC and CAO, which constantly strive to improve their services to young people. In fact, the Irish education system has stood the test of time and provides the Irish economy with one of the best educated workforces in the western world. The State exams are invariably acknowledged as impartial, unbiased and conducted to the highest standards.
Junior Cert candidates may feel forgotten in the rush to get Leaving Cert results and CAO offers out early, but they will finally get their results next Friday, three weeks later than last year. It will be a day for candidates to celebrate their outstanding achievement, but sensibly and safely. Good luck to all of them.
Billy Ryle
Tralee, Co Kerry
Source: Read Full Article
Home » Analysis & Comment » Letters to the Editor: 'Democracy means the result of referendum is respected'
Letters to the Editor: 'Democracy means the result of referendum is respected'
It’s laughable to see and hear those in the British Parliament posture and rant about the government’s ‘antidemocratic’ behaviour and ‘threats’ to democracy. Especially when one considers many on the opposition benches, including Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson, have openly stated they want stop Brexit altogether, wanting to ignore the result of 2016 and hold a second referendum.
Whether popular referendums are actually a good idea or create more problems than they’re worth is as contentious as the current predicament in British politics. However, that aside, a referendum was held and despite it being a close margin, the result was that the collective electorate of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union.
These sentiments voiced by Ms Swinson, and others like her, beg one question. Would there be calls for a second referendum from the same people if the result, even with the same close margin, went their way?
Please log in or register with Independent.ie for free access to this article.
Log In
New to Independent.ie? Create an account
In Ireland, where referendums are more frequent, we have seen two held in relation to European affairs, the Nice Treaty and the Lisbon Treaty. In both cases, the Irish people rejected them, initially. In both cases, it was explained to the electorate why it was wrong the first time around and it was asked to vote again. How the EU cherishes democracy.
As I’ve said, the question of whether referendums are a good idea is debatable but if they are held the result must be respected. Of course the result could be revisited but not in its immediate aftermath. It is a slippery slope and creates a dangerous precedent for respective groups to politically undermine an election of any kind, every time the vote doesn’t go their way. Thus domestic politics would descend into a dog chasing its own tail. Which in truth has been the state of affairs in the UK for the past three years.
Craig White
Address with editor
EU looks other way as Spain crushes Catalonia’s spirit
Is it a crime to want to be independent from a country? Is preparing peaceful actions to protest against the abuses of a state comparable to terrorist actions? The answer within a democratic framework would be “no”, but it turns out to be “yes” in Spain, a country that presumes to be a democracy.
However, if this were the case, there would be no Catalan political prisoners and exiles for holding a self-determination referendum. Spain is using all its energy to crush the independence movement. Unfortunately, we live in a world in which many people have suffered terrorist attacks; it’s simply too unreasonable to compare a peaceful movement with terrorist actions.
One can only painfully and helplessly watch the videos of the Spanish police forcing their entry to the home of Catalan pro-independence supporters.
A European country is acting arbitrarily, and Europe is still looking the other way. Anyone who searches pictures or videos of the independence demonstrations carried out in Catalonia will ascertain that they are exemplary for their peaceful attitude. Don’t let them accuse us of being terrorists. Where are you Europe? Where are the human rights you speak so much about? When you finally intervene, it may be too late.
Lola Salmerón
Catalonia, Spain
Full marks for speed of exam results and college offers
Credit where credit is due, so top marks to the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and the Central Applications Office (CAO) for making Leaving Cert results, Leaving Cert subject appeal results and college offers available much earlier this year.
The twin towers of Irish education took on board not only the letter but the spirit of the legal judgment in the High Court action taken by student Rebecca Carter last year. Mr Justice Richard Humphreys ruled that Rebecca, whose total score in one subject was incorrectly computed, be allowed to immediately take up her place in veterinary medicine at UCD. Otherwise she would have had to wait a year due to the late release of subject appeal results on October 10, 2018.
The SEC issued subject appeal results much earlier this year, on September 18. Appeal applicants who qualified for further CAO choices were offered their courses on September 20, in time for the current academic year. Great work, indeed.
Ireland is fortunate to have the SEC and CAO, which constantly strive to improve their services to young people. In fact, the Irish education system has stood the test of time and provides the Irish economy with one of the best educated workforces in the western world. The State exams are invariably acknowledged as impartial, unbiased and conducted to the highest standards.
Junior Cert candidates may feel forgotten in the rush to get Leaving Cert results and CAO offers out early, but they will finally get their results next Friday, three weeks later than last year. It will be a day for candidates to celebrate their outstanding achievement, but sensibly and safely. Good luck to all of them.
Billy Ryle
Tralee, Co Kerry
Source: Read Full Article