> All of the parties apart from the SNP promised a referendum in their manifesto. The Green party and the Liberal Democrats had it in theirs for about a decade.
Not all the parties did. Labour, for example, also didn't. The Greens have always been fiercely pro choice so a referendum falls within their remit and LibDems have often flip flopped around the issue of Europe depending on what seems the most popular alt-vote at the time. Then you have the right wing parties who are naturally nationalistic. But many of the left-wing nationals (like SNP) were pro-Europe.
This is all moot though because my point wasn't who supported the EU but rather the Tories motives for the referendum.
> The referendum was advisory, so it would have been possible for parliament to vote not to enact article 50. But parliament voted for it.
Indeed. But that is another tangential point too. I do have opinions as to why it wasn't treated as an "advisory" vote but those are just opinions so I'll refrain from clouding the debate.
> I do have opinions as to why it wasn't treated as an "advisory" vote but those are just opinions
I'd like to hear them!
Thanks to your comment I re-checked the Labour party manifesto for the 2015 general election and you are right. They do mention a referendum but only in the case of a transfer of power from Britain to the EU:
"Labour will legislate for a lock that guarantees that there can be no transfer of powers from Britain to the European Union without the consent of the British public through an in/out referendum."
Not all the parties did. Labour, for example, also didn't. The Greens have always been fiercely pro choice so a referendum falls within their remit and LibDems have often flip flopped around the issue of Europe depending on what seems the most popular alt-vote at the time. Then you have the right wing parties who are naturally nationalistic. But many of the left-wing nationals (like SNP) were pro-Europe.
This is all moot though because my point wasn't who supported the EU but rather the Tories motives for the referendum.
> The referendum was advisory, so it would have been possible for parliament to vote not to enact article 50. But parliament voted for it.
Indeed. But that is another tangential point too. I do have opinions as to why it wasn't treated as an "advisory" vote but those are just opinions so I'll refrain from clouding the debate.