Brexit Referendum: An Incomplete Electoral Verdict

The purpose of this paper is to use the insights of collective choice theory to examine the format and outcome of the Brexit Referendum. It is argued first that the question asked by the Referendum was incomplete for it failed to address the choice between “Hard” and “Soft” Brexit resulting in a legitimacy deficiency. Second, this observation gives rise to the question of the actor who can remedy the deficiency, either the electorate in an additional referendum on the form of Brexit, or Parliament in an active role in negotiations.