Trump has upset someone, everyone is wrong, Justice is a loner, and nobody’s going to be happy. It’s just a normal kind of Sunday, as the US and Britain continue to move in all the wrong circles
There was a bit of a kerfuffle at the Trump rally last night, when Secret Service operatives bundled the Donald off the stage. “He’s got a gun!” yelled somebody, apparently not referring to the candidate himself.
It turned out to be one balding bloke holding a ‘Republicans against Trump’ poster. He was later released. But the CIA is wise to be nervous: back in July, there was a genuine attempt to shoot the Republican ‘nominee’:
So if you’ve ever wondered what Remoaners get up to in their spare time, now you know.
As I write, Andrew Marr’s Sunday slot is on the telly. I can’t bear to watch the show any more, having long ago decided that it should be renamed Andy Pandy’s Yes No interlude, in which every guest has to try and avoid saying either word during the hour. Once a week there would be a Celebrity edition called Tezza Shoebucket’s Yes No interlude, in which the Prime Minister has to do the same thing. Dumbing down is great for the ratings, and let’s face it BBC Parliament needs some….we think – but don’t know – because it’s a State secret.
And now, here is the BBC weather forecast, read for us today by Gail Fourse:
“Today we can see a ridge of high pressure hanging over Westminster, a sad side effect of Brexit, also directly responsible for the enormous low pressure sitting firmly upon Britain’s economy, which we expect to melt in the rising temperatures created by a lot of bad feeling created by a pointless referendum when everyone knew before we started that it had no relevance, except to the weather”.
Yes, over the last 72 hours the arguments have pulled this way and that, depending on whether you think the Judges or the Daily Mail are Enemies of the People.
However, the situation is now so unutterably daft, both sides are all completely wrong.
There is much talk by Brexiteers of the Sovereignty of the People. Much as I would prefer that to be the case for everyone sane and not in prison, the Sovereignty of Parliament has been accepted as a Constitutional Right for well over 200 years. Indeed, there are some who would argue that – the real power of legislators outside the Cabinet being so diluted since Bagehot’s time – there is now a usage case for Sovereignty lying with Privy Councillors.
Equally, there is much talk among the Remaindeers of the Sovereignty of Parliament, but also the independence of the Judiciary. Anyone who thinks we still have an independent judiciary in Britain is either a rabid Tory, a Judge, very silly, asleep, or all four. In fact, probably down on all fours as well. But when it suits the Left to champion the Judges, then of course they will – and are doing.
However, they are right in saying the Sovereign power in the land is Parliament. And that sovereign body voted 6-1 in favour of a motion calling upon the People’s decision to be final and carried out by the Executive of the Day. Sorry about this Remainians, but that sort of looks like checkmate.
Except it isn’t, for the following reasons:
- The Remain case is valid in saying Parliament must have a say in the terms of leaving the EU, because the pre-Referendum promise just said “will to Leave or Stay” – but nothing about the argey-bargey involved. Further
- Is it any longer right to give Sovereignty to a bunch of lightweight twisters and liars? And finally
- Why do we GAF about the views of blokes who award damages to trees and find
Andy Coulson not guilty of perjury?
So this is the situation ‘going forward’ as people are wont to say – even if we are going round in circles:
Parliament has the right to debate the terms and vote to change them so long as, at the end of the process, Britain is not subject to any laws dictated by Brussels, and is no longer a member of the European Union.
Which of course is perfectly correct, but will please nobody because:
- The vast majority (78% at the last count) do not want any further immigration into the UK; and
- The other side do not want to break any ties with the EU.
So in a nutshell, everyone is wrong and nobody will be happy. That has a ring of normality about it.
Today I’m having slow roast beef on a bed of winter vegetables smothered in garlic. So it’s a traditional British dish with Mediterranean overtones, and I’m eating it in France. That’s the kind of Europe I want. Not one serving up a Belgian Fricassée of claptrap with Fritz & sausage.
But each to his own.
The Slog 