Just over a year ago, before our referendum, I wrote a piece on Swedish attitudes to the EU, suggesting that Sweden might be tempted to follow Britain out of it: https://bernardjporter.com/2016/04/22/brexit-swexit/. In fact, post-referendum, it appears that Brexit has had the opposite effect there. A recent article in Dagens Nyheter (http://www.dn.se/nyheter/varlden/svenskar-mer-positiva-till-eu-efter-brexit/, but behind a pay-wall, I think) argues that Swedes are ‘more positive towards the EU after Brexit’, with Britain’s departure being widely seen as a disaster all round, causing a re-think among the previously sceptical Swedes, 66% of whom are now in favour of continued membership. That must be because of the extraordinary difficulties that our Brexit is now facing, which were mostly unanticipated by the pre-referendum Little Englanders. If only we Brits could be permitted a similar re-think. But a democratic vote now, of course, would be undemocratic, on the grounds that a democratic decision has already been made. Holy Moses!
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Meta
Porter’s Pensées 
There you go again Bernard: sneering at those that chose to leave the EU: you really must get off the smirking bus you’re riding. Quite frankly the only argument you have deployed regarding the referendum is that somehow the electorate ‘got it wrong’ (as they are not up to your own incisive standards of understanding, one must presume). The problem you have (and yes it is ‘your’ problem – no one else’s) and continually demonstrate is a contempt for those poor benighted souls (as one must assume you see them,) who can’t think the Brahmin wise thoughts of Bernard Porter and need to be put right. Just for your FYI: the electorate can’t get it wrong – they can only vote as they individually see fit: the decision can’t be wrong, it just is. And should you argue that ‘history will be the judge’ I must advise you (echoing your de haut en bas tropes,) history will have better things to do.
Now, how many that voted to leave have you spoken to about the subject Bernard? Upwards of zero, I suspect none. If you had you would put up a more contrite view of the current situation and your own part in it (being as you are, one of those in the ‘people are really too thick to understand’ echo chamber.)
I don’t want to bitch slap you too hard Bernard, but has it ever crossed your mind that for some/an amount/many of those that voted to leave the EU, the economic argument was not paramount, that maybe the glaring democratic deficit was (perhaps, a little, just a smidgeon of,) a factor. Surprisingly enough your writings on the subject put you bang in line with Mandelson (and you don’t want to be on that side of the chalk line, do you,) in that you studiously avoid the issue of the EU being an unregenerate undemocratic, unaccountable organisation. Avoiding this matter demonstates quite succinctly that you believe that is acceptable for people to sacrifice their (admittedly, ever-reducing,) political and social freedoms for the (let’s face it, probably, illusory) promise of ecomomic advantage(s). Call me an armchair historian if you will (and I bet you will,) but the 20th Century is littered with detritus when that particular Faustian pact was called.
Take a long cold shower and then take a long cold look at your own social biases in this argument: you’ll find you’re in very shabby company – both historically and conteporaneously.
TB
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Looking over my short post again I genuinely cannot see what there is in it that has provoked this response! It was about Swedish attitudes; not British, or mine.
I’ll look back through my previous pieces on Brexit (‘There you go again…’) to see if I can find any justification there for your ‘sneering’ inferences. I may return to this – after my ‘long cold shower’.
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