HANDS up who’s in favour of democracy. So that’s a majority then.

But are we really? Or are we only in favour when it produces the result we voted for.

There are several current examples where the democratic outcome of questions put to people are not being fully respected.

The most recent is of course the EU referendum vote.

Thousands of people on the streets of London and elsewhere trying to ensure that the UK doesn’t leave the European Union, despite the result.

Others have suggested it needs to be ratified by MPs in the House of Commons and that somehow a vote among 650 MPs could overturn a democratic vote of more than 33 million citizens.

Others, including Labour leadership challenger, Owen Smith, are suggesting we should have another referendum on any agreed deal before Britain actually leaves.

It is not surprising that Mr Smith is not affording the referendum result due respect as he is the MP chosen to try and overturn the democratic election of his party’s leader less than a year ago.

A party leader elected by a majority of the party’s members and supporters eligible to vote in a fair and democratic election under party approved rules.

But because many of the MPs, who are only a fraction of the total membership didn’t like the decision of the members they have been looking form day one for ways to overturn it.

The overwhelming message is one of elitism and ‘we know best’ lecturing of the wider membership.

Even if Jeremy Corbyn wins again and even if his vote increases and his mandate therefore strengthened some will still refuse to work under him and continue to undermine his leadership in a bid to force his resignation.

It is showing contempt for democracy from people who are democratically elected themselves.

The contrast between Labour and the Tories and the SNP is startling.

Jeremy Corbyn was elected following a lengthy contest with three other contenders in which he came out overwhelmingly on top with almost 60% of the vote.

A quarter of a million Labour supporters backed him having heard what he and the others offered but the Parliamentary Labour Party, which accounts for 0.05% of that electorate, refused to accept the result.

Then there is the Scottish referendum.

As early as the morning of the result in September 2014 Alex Salmond declared ‘the dream shall never die’, and ever since independence supporters have been looking for a way to justify the holding of a second referendum.

Like the Labour MPs, like many remain voters, they said “we’re not having that”.

And so the SNP are about to embark on a new campaign for independence any day now to build support for holding a second vote.

Yes things may have changed since 2014 but nothing stands still.

When we place our cross in our chosen box at the ballot box we are agreeing to accept the decision of the majority who did the same.

Sometimes we might not like it, but those are the rules of the game. And it’s the only game in town worth playing.