Nigel said "In a 52-48 referendum this would be unfinished business by a long way. If the Remain campaign win two-thirds to one-third that ends it."

It's just like the SNP keeping harping on about a second Independence referendum from the moment thet lost, isn't it?

I don't agree with either of them. The EU referendum was a once in a generation/lifetime vote as far as I'm concerned. Look into it again in 20 years or so but not straight after them.

Not at all. It's the type of extremist language being used by her that I take issue with. But this is all too common from those who claim to be the "tolerant" ones.

Except she's not using extremist language.

No great surprise that a strongly Bremain constituency chose a Lib Dem candidate in a single issue vote.

"Backwardness" is an insulting word. It's certainly not PC is it? Of course, the liberal left don't know (or don't want to know) how intolerant they are being whilst snarling at those with different points of view.

Did she say "backwardness"? In the quote you pasted in she said "backward-looking" which has an entirely different meaning (the opposite to "forward-looking"), and definitely isn't extremist language.

That's why EEA and Customs Union membership is the best outcome. The Leavers get their leave but business and the rest of us can carry on much as before. EEA/CU. It will also avoid any potential problems for Northern Ireland and Gibraltar. It might even hold off another Scottish independence vote.

What do you think "backward-looking" means?

Amazing isn't it? Let's re write the dictionary so we can belittle those who don't share our opinion.

Looking backwards.

That concession speech in full

Why don't you explain why you think it is extreme to say that?

Thought you kippers were all about straight talking and speaking your mind.

Less of the stereotyping please.

You actually included my comment "the opposite to 'forward-looking'" in your post!

Which means what in liberal left terms?

Which of course Sarah Olney wasn't doing at all. LOL.

Well done Lib Dems

Let's hope this happens, the only alternative is no brexit at all, but what you think will happen should keep everybody happy

... whilst staring up your own fundament

Congratulations to Lib Dems however Labour should be winning these byelections if they hoping to win the next GE. This is more bad news for Corbyn's Labour.

You haven't explained why you think it's extreme language have you?

Even in the glory days of Blair, New Labour and Cool Britannia Labour wouldn't have stood a hope in a seat like Richmond.

True but there are more than 1,600 labour party members in Richmond. He didn't even manage to get all of their votes

A hugely gratifying and admittedly unexpected result, purely down to my day's toil in Kew (and subsequent donations).

Of course its a heavily remain constituency. Its one of the best educated electorates in the country, and we all know how education has a very strong correlation to one's view on Brexit. There is, however, more to this than just the pat comments from many on the forum.

Firstly, Zac is not unpopular in that part of the world. He turned a narrow LibDem majority into a massive 23,000 in the space of 2 elections. The constituency voted for him in the mayoral election by a very large majority. It was not antipathy to him, but the horror at the prospect of a hard Brexit. I'm glad Farron made the point on the BBC this morning that many Tories who voted Leave in the referendum (and the Richmond Leave vote was virtually 100% Tory - UKIP got 4% last GE) did NOT vote for a hard Brexit.

The Europhobes continually accuse Remainers of being out of touch, when it is THEY. They believe the majority of the country is happy to see the economy harmed, jobs jeopardised, just so the "purity" of sovereignty can be preserved and the borders shut. Well they are WRONG. The vast, vast majority want us to remain in the single market - the big difference in Richmond is that the electorate there understand the consequences if we don't, and owing to their intelligence, can see through the bullshit peddled by the Brexiters.

A word about Labour. I've canvassed this constituency many years past, when it was a Tory marginal and the Alliance was trying to win it. There was always a significant Labour vote there, and it was very resilient. Very hard to squeeze. They knew they had no chance but would not vote tactically, even when it was pointed out how slim the Tory majority. That changed this time. You do find Labour voters in million pound homes in that constituency, and all I encountered was utter contempt for Corbyn. This is a pointer to how Labour will be evaporated in the next election. A lost deposit there is utterly terrible.

Richmond is not a typical seat. It magnifies the national mood. It is, however, a very clear indicator of how desperate most people are to avoid a hard Brexit. The result is a remarkable achievement by the LibDems (who worked incredibly hard for it) considering the very strong personal following Zac has in the area.

No Brexit, is not an alternative at all, why would it be?