You said that "most people did not vote for Brexit". That is incorrect.
No, it's correct. 63% of people did not vote for Brexit. Therefore there was no convincing majority for it. "Most people did not vote for Brexit" is not the same as "Most people voted for Remain".
Because something equally as radical as that is exactly what was suggested in most versions of a "soft" Brexit. Most involved remaining to a greater or lesser degree in the EU's orbit, usually by staying in the Customs Union and/or Single Market. Of course the EU would have been most unlikely to agree to a "soft Bremain" - i.e. remaining in the EU whilst withdrawing from those institutions - for one simple reason: they are an intrinsic part of EU membership. So with that being so, why should the UK have considered leaving whilst remaining in them?
Because several other countries are in precisely that situation.
Bit of wishful thinking here, I think.
As I said, demographics alone will, in my opinion, lead to a convincing majority for Remain in the future. Even now, polls seem to suggest a small majority, though not enough yet to meet the 60% threshold. Remember that a majority of Gen X, and a clear majority of millennials, were in favour of remaining, the switch from Brexit to Remain occurring around 1970 as a birth year. As time goes on, the Brexit-inclined generations will comprise less and less of the electorate while the Remain-inclined generations will comprise more and more of it. While Gen Z were not old enough to vote in the referendum, they do not seem to demonstrate typical Brexiter politics on average so I suspect would tend rejoin, as long as the rejoin campaign was good. Younger generations would see opportunity in easier emigration to the Continent, I suspect, plus they are, from what I can make out, more angered by the government's anti-immigration line than older generations.
I am guessing that you will be quite happy for this 'convincing majority' to be used for any 'rejoin' referendum? Or, perhaps not?
I think it would be fair enough and I think that by, say, the mid-2030s there would be that convincing majority, due to a combination of demographics and a realisation that Brexit has produced no tangible benefits. But to be honest my own wishes are less about being in the EU and more about regaining our lost freedoms and repairing our relationship with the Continent. I suspect that some of those freedoms (the SM/CU at least) will be re-introduced some time before any rejoin referendum, as a Government untied to Hard Brexit on pride grounds realises that it's in the country's best interests so to do. It appears the next government will not do it (presumably because they see it as too risky electorally at this time), but I strongly suspect the one after that will attempt to do so
if it's not Tory.
Not sure about that, but the terms on offer may well not be palatable.... When they are, no doubt the rejoining camp will get us a referendum and win.
And in the meantime we'll have lost X years. If we did rejoin it would certainly render Brexit entirely and unambiguously pointless.