Quote Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee View Post
If leave was never supposed to win, why try and appeal to such a broad selection of leave voters, some of whom wanted no deal, some wanted a Norwegian style arrangement, some wanted some future deal with the EU for trade etc etc.

The best referendum question would have been remain vs no-deal. That would have been something like 62/38 in favour of remain if opinion polls regarding leave voters intentions are accurate. That's why the leave vote had to encompass as many possible scenarios as possible. Whether leave was supposed to lose or not is irrelevant here. Leave was given more of an opportunity to win. That's utterly obvious. That's why I'm certain the leave campaign would have refused a shoot out of remain vs no deal. Your lack of opposition to this tells me a lot.
It's immaterial because they didn't want any actionable leave result, the intention was to stay in the EU! They already had the contingency plan ready and waiting in the form of Theresa May.