Yesterday – probably to the chagrin of some of my friends in UKIP – I posted about the need for a ‘radical compromise’ in relation to Brexit….to the point of being a Breuxit. As part of the argument for this I stressed, ‘We Brexiteers are not going to get what we were promised. That’s the reality, deal with it.‘
News from Westminster late last night – continuing this morning – suggests that no turd will be left unstoned in the bid by Remoaners to get what they want (‘Brexit lite’). Some 35-45 Conservative MPs, depending on who you speak to, are collaring every lobby correspondent they can find to big up what they plan to do: vote against the Government with Labour and the LibDems in order to force the Executive to involve Parliament in the Brexit process.
Several elements of this disturb me.
The first is that Westminster is awash with rumours about the Supreme Court finding in favour of the Government. This is beyond silly – unless May has been trying to threaten the Court. More likely is that the “rumour” has been invented, and pushed out there in order to galvanise pro-EU MPs into firm action about today’s Order Motion. I would be staggered if the usual suspects aren’t involved in this.
Second, its aim is very clearly for the referendum losers to wind up with an unreformed EU tickled up with the odd bit of window dressing here and there. Not only will this get an aggressive response from Leavers – including me – it is also blind to the process taking place across Europe – defiance in the face of undemocratic federalism. Worse still, it is insane to insist on staying aboard an obviously sinking ship.
You know things are really bad in the EU these days when Wolfgang Schäuble gets his wheelchair spinning. Following the resignation of Italian leader Renzi yesterday, Wolfie told the German media that “there is no cause whatsoever to suggest that difficulties in Italy must lead to a wider EU crisis”. That is, of course, nonsense: even setting aside Monte dei Paschi Bank, Unicredit is in dire straits and owns the giant German group HVB – as well as having a joint venture with Spain’s Santander in asset management. All Italian bank shares tumbled yesterday following the NO vote, with the pro-EU BBC reporting last night that the dei Paschi rescue “is now very much in doubt”.
Finally, this move by Tory rebels will deliver a blank cheque for time-wasting, filibuster and fooling around such that the Brexit process becomes well-nigh unachievable. Their hope, clearly, is that eventually the UK electorate’s mood will change and one day the Referendum will be reversed.
It is one thing for these lightweight plotters – everyone loves a plot, it’s much more fun than working – to get themselves an insurance policy. It’s another to be almost clinically stupid. Consider:
- To vote against May and then have the Supreme Court rule in her favour will create a constitutional crisis. This is of course exactly what we need right now.
- To drag the Leavers out of the lifeboats and back onto a multiply-torpedoed Lusitania will in my view bring the country to ruin.
- It is very probably – given she is at heart a Remainian – playing right into Theresa May’s hands.
Exactly two months ago, I quoted sources as follows:
“May wants the excuse to have an election, because she thinks Labour’s campaign will be sabotaged by the Blairites, and Jeremy Corbyn’s huge popularity among Labour Party members will not be translated into the votes of less active downmarket voters: these people will defect to UKIP in increasingly large numbers. But under the FPTP voting system, this will mean fewer Labour MPs rather than a lot more UKIP members. She thinks she will win with a substantial majority, Labour will be routed, Corbyn will be ousted, and UKIP will be all over the place….as they already are.”
Such a result will, of course, give May a free hand until 2022….and that, my friends, will be the end of any State help for the citizen whatsoever. Specifically in terms of a major Slog interest area, it will be disastrous for the Waspi Women and any State pensioners who come along later.
Yet Labour’s mad ideologues are entirely up for it. It beggars belief.
The Slog 