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[Sir Tigger KC]

I think that there is a general assumption that had the country voted to remain in the EU, life would have carried on as normal, and apart from a few shouty 'Kippers' we would have forgotten all about the referendum and lived happily ever after!   

Or would we?   

I believe that the very fact we voted to remain in the EU would have seriously weakened our traditional skeptical approach to the 'European Project' and with the onset of Qualified Majority Voting the UK would have found itself evermore isolated within the EU. 

I think that the first controversial issue would have been next year when the EU budget for the next 7 years is decided.  The UK would have come under intense pressure to relinquish the rebate. David Cameron would have wailed and nashed his teeth but eventually would have given in rather than the humiliation of being outvoted and forced to give up the rebate. After all we are the 2nd biggest economy in the EU, who recently reconfirmed our commitment to the European Project, so we should pay our way! Right? 

The second controversial issue would have been the establishment of the EU Defence Ministry.  The UK would have voted against on our traditional objection that an EU military would undermine NATO.  However we would have been outvoted by everyone but Sweden who are nominally a neutral country and Ireland who don't feel threatened by anyone, as everyone loves the Irish! 

The next one would have been the EU Ministry of Finance set up to levy direct EU taxes from EU citizens.  The UK along with Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands strongly object but are outvoted by the other 23 countries (Albania joined under special poverty allevation measures in 2017) who think it's a great idea as they don't pay their taxes anyway and it's a good scam to get more cash out of the rich countries!   

Albania becomes a ghost state within 6 months of joining the the EU, when the entire population moves to Britain! 

David Cameron appoints Nicola Sturgeon as Britains next EU Commissioner, purely to piss off Juncker, who in turn appoints her as the EU's Special High Representative to Donald Trump.  Juncker goes and hides in the nearest bar from the inevitable fall out, while Trump says she is "very nice", and than goes AWOL! He is later discovered running a small haulage  company in Minnesota.  Meanwhile after a few months stomping about Washington muttering about democratic mandates, Nicola Sturgeon discovers a lost Scottish community in the Appalachian Mountains and descends from heaven to become their 'Dear Leader'.  When she declares unilateral independence for New New Caledonia from the US, Kim Jong Un is the only international leader to offer congratulations and she disappears soon after, much to the relief of all concerned.  The CIA, MI6 and Mossad all deny involvement, but it is noted that Vladimir Putin has a spring in his step and that tarten curtains have gone up in The Kremlin!       

Any other alternative realities had we voted to stay in the EU?   

[aaronjb]

Have you thought of a career in writing, Sir Tig?

[Varche]

I suspect it would have been business as usual. Trundling along complacently after all the UK remain vote wouldhave been a vote of confidence.

[Lazydocker]

I suspect Tigger is right to a degree...

Had remain been the outcome the EU would have made it clear that attempted mutiny is unacceptable!

I think we have taken the harder path but have no doubt that we will, eventually, pull through in a strong position. But I doubt that will be in my working lifetime. 

[Doctor Gollum]

Ah what if...

Here's a thought... What would happen if we follow the chosen path without regret or remorse or posturing, looking only to the future with pride, hope and optimism? Approach the process looking over your shoulder, and you'll stumble at each hurdle. The future is ahead and it is Ours.

History is being made. Right now. That alone is something to celebrate.

Sure, some people might not agree with the whole idea, but personally I believe that we will be just fine.

[Mister Rog]

David Cameron appoints Nicola Sturgeon as Britains next EU Commissioner, . . . . . . . . . . etc

I don't know what you've been taking, but I want some  !  !          

[tigers_gonads]

Ah what if...

Here's a thought... What would happen if we follow the chosen path without regret or remorse or posturing, looking only to the future with pride, hope and optimism? Approach the process looking over your shoulder, and you'll stumble at each hurdle. The future is ahead and it is Ours.

History is being made. Right now. That alone is something to celebrate.

Sure, some people might not agree with the whole idea, but personally I believe that we will be just fine.

Spot on that 

The people of this country are soft as shit nowdays and are frightened to death of fear itself.
This country (or union if the sweaties ever stop whining) can achieve great things if it takes its head out of its arse, stops blubbing and starts believing in itself again.

[Terbs]

Seconded (or thirded) on that Dr G

Every single argument has been...What if,...or.. we could end up, and so on and so on.

Nobody, but nobody on either side knows and that is fact.
So the obvious thing is everybody work towards the positive.......but they won't, because that's democratic

[Rods2]

Totally agree that to get on in life and achieve things you need to be positive and optimistic and fortunately I'm both, my glass is always between half full and full.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I suspect it would have been business as usual. Trundling along complacently after all the UK remain vote wouldhave been a vote of confidence.

If the vote had been, 90/10 to remain I think this is exactly what would have happened. The 10% would have been seen as a bunch of
 'malcontents' The government would have had a f*ck you response

The problem is the just how close the vote was 52/48 in favour of 'leave' If the vote had been 52/48 in favour of 'remain' the government would have to take into account the huge number of leavers. The numbers are just too large to dismiss.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Ah what if...

Here's a thought... What would happen if we follow the chosen path without regret or remorse or posturing, looking only to the future with pride, hope and optimism? Approach the process looking over your shoulder, and you'll stumble at each hurdle. The future is ahead and it is Ours.

History is being made. Right now. That alone is something to celebrate.

Sure, some people might not agree with the whole idea, but personally I believe that we will be just fine.

Spot on that 

The people of this country are soft as shit nowdays and are frightened to death of fear itself.
This country (or union if the sweaties ever stop whining) can achieve great things if it takes its head out of its arse, stops blubbing and starts believing in itself again.

Fully agree with all of this ^   

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I certainly don't see the world coming to an end like some from the remain camp. I think opportunity will come our way.

Initially I think we will survive then I believe we will thrive ( so long as Boris doesn't wear a red nose and clown shoes)

I'm naturally optimistic so although I voted to remain I know We will be fine.

[Kevin Wood]

The problem is the just how close the vote was 52/48 in favour of 'leave' If the vote had been 52/48 in favour of 'remain' the government would have to take into account the huge number of leavers. The numbers are just too large to dismiss.

Yes, exactly. The UKIP "problem" that the referendum was called to quash wouldn't have gone away in this eventuality and we would get no more "special treatment" from the EU. We would probably be in a worse place than we are now and where we would have been had the referendum had never been held.

It begs the question of what Camoron was smoking when he decided to call the referendum, really, unless he thought remain would walk it by a massive majority.

Still, onwards and upwards...

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

The problem is the just how close the vote was 52/48 in favour of 'leave' If the vote had been 52/48 in favour of 'remain' the government would have to take into account the huge number of leavers. The numbers are just too large to dismiss.

Yes, exactly. The UKIP "problem" that the referendum was called to quash wouldn't have gone away in this eventuality and we would get no more "special treatment" from the EU. We would probably be in a worse place than we are now and where we would have been had the referendum had never been held.

It begs the question of what Camoron was smoking when he decided to call the referendum, really, unless he thought remain would walk it by a massive majority.

Still, onwards and upwards...

I think Cameron was complacent. I believe he expected a comfortable victory for remain.

He expected people to dislike the EU in Sunderland and similar and he expected them to run down the EU over a pint or six.

He DIDN'T expect them to make the effort to vote. He got it wrong.

 

[Mister Rog]

It begs the question of what Camoron was smoking when he decided to call the referendum, really, unless he thought remain would walk it by a massive majority.

Still, onwards and upwards...

Well he was under some pressure from Eurosceptic Tory MPs who could vote against him in the house on various issues to be difficult, and he was too much of a wimp to deal firmly with them. Plus, he tried hard to be Mr Nice guy and keep everyone happy and mostly do what he said he would do. Bonkers ! Politicians just don't do these things.

But yes, he was totally nuts to call the referendum and course he thought it would be a walkover. He should not have been in No 10 purely on the basis of naïveté. He started crapping himself as it became clear that there was a real fight on, with Boris and others opposing him. Ultimately it cost him his job.