It's debatable really. I think you could make a legitimate case to say that Austerity coupled with 'populist' agendas and a desire for Libertarianism among Tory ranks, leading to the referendum, was a much greater, and continue s to be a greater threat to UK democracy.
A practice of 'backsliding' as described below, begins the process:
What is Rule of Law Backsliding?
verfassungsblog.de
Far-right and Anti Immigration rhetoric on social media and in the press has consistently targeted individual rights (Human Rights Act, Equality Act). Where this becomes popular perception, individual freedoms are at risk. The Brexit process will inevitably have a negative impact on individual rights. UK citizens will lose all rights derived from EU citizenship, including free movement in EU member states. Not just free movement but all rights derived from the EU Charter:
EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
Find the full text of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, as well as why we need the charter, and when it applies.
The charter only operates within the scope of EU membership, so won't be relevant in the event of No Deal.
In respect if the referendum itself. By giving so much credibility to a (relativeky speaking) slim majority vote in an advisory referendum (although I accept it is now considered legally bindin), where the campaigns were subject to criticism for the lack of informed debate and uncertain positions, the government is pursuing a mandate that is unclear in its terms, meaning and consequences.
Whatever people like Rees-Mogg and @peteblue might say, people clearly didn't vote for No Deal en masse; they voted for a reaction to the status quo and against the 'status quo' championed by Cameron and Osborne. They voted for anything and everything that was falsely promised by Leave campaingers.
A vote for a speculative and vague position is a vote in support of anything and, therefore nothing at all. The oroblem, as I've alluded to previously in the thread is that Executive action taken under an unclear mandate weakens the authority of Parliament (and the Democracy of the UK). Defaulting to a No Deal is a Political and Democratic failure, as the public by and large cannot easily predict what comes next.
Equally, Leave campaingers knowingly offering the unfeasible (however attractive to the average voter) diminishes the public choice. Voting to implement a form of Brexit that was promised but is ultimately legally unfeasible is meaningless. Likewise, without public consideration of the current options available, knowing that the legal position in a binding vote would've been a voiding of the result, it too diminishes the Democratic process as you cannot practically deliver what was promised.
