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Query about Brexit.
Think back before 2015-2016, if you can.
Can you remember having opinions before 2015 about referendums on EU questions?
This could be about referendums on the constitutional treaty, or on monetary union, or even on the issue of membership itself.
My research shows that some on the "left" or were big-L or small-l liberals supported the use of referendums on EU questions.
Were you? And what do you remember about what you thought at the time?
@davidallengreen
The thing I remember from living in the Republic of Ireland was: they had a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and people voted against 53:47.
So the government made an attempt to explain it better, then held a second referendum, and people voted 2-to-1 in favour.
So unlike what happened in the UK.
@etymologic @davidallengreen I voted in those two referendums. For the first one, no one, including myself - and I took the time to read the literature provided - really understood what we were being asked to vote on. So I was not surprised the first one tanked. The second one was a no-brainer because it was clearer what we were voting for. The electorate were astute enough not to vote for something they didn't understand first time around. When they got clarification, they voted accordingly.
@etymologic Those who see this as some sort of 'own' by the EU are completely wrong, imo. To me it was democracy in action. The government tried to take us for granted and we weren't having any of it! 
If they want us to vote for something, the least they can do is make it clear what we are voting for. So egg on gov's face - not the electorate voting.