It was a good idea at the time. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg chose to raise the banner for the EU. Twice he attempted to debate Nigel Farage, the champion of the Eurosceptic cause in Britain, and twice he limped back bloodied and humiliated. Snap polls confirmed he lost the debate and his narrative of Britain belonging in the undemocratic EU fell flat with the Great British Public.
Now, as repayment for defying the public's demand for an In/Out referendum, the Lib Dems have suffered a wipeout in the Euro elections. Despite Clegg's valiant effort to stand up for Europe, the voters have thoroughly rejected him and his vision for Britain. The message is clear, the voters have had enough of The EU. Why shouldn't they feel this way? It's only natural to want to restore sovereignty to Britain because we don't want to be governed by unelected bureaucrats and faceless institutions.
The mainstream parties have shot themselves in the foot by resisting calls for a referendum. Their negligence is coming back to haunt them. Concerted attempts to suppress Farage continuously backfire. It is quite obvious the relentless attacks against Farage and his party have entrenched his support. In the minds of voters it looks like the establishment - Left and Right - is forging an unholy alliance to censor debate about The EU. The stultifying consensus has been exposed for everyone to see.
This result shows the Great British Public are exhausted with the consensus. They have delivered a clear signal of discontent. They want the debate about The EU to be brought to the surface even as Clegg, and politicians like him, want to shut it down and brush it under the carpet.
The point of democracy is the national interest should be represented, but Westminster had for decades insisted the status-quo must be preserved. The likes of Clegg claim they don't want to upset the apple-cart, and he talks as if we are not part of a global economy. He has already decided staying in The EU is a necessity. However it is clear the public do not agree with his views. Whether it works for Britain or not is irrelevant to him.
Now the electorate have clearly expressed their wish to see Get Britain Out. Will the political establishment deny the nation an In/Out referendum after this result? There is no going back now. The stage is set for the Great British Public to decide the course of the nation's destiny and it is a cause for celebration.