Brexit will be the
death of me. Another month, another emergency summit in Brussels, as an
incompetent British Prime Minister tries to rescue her beloved deal
(that has already been roundly rejected by the House with record Nay
votes multiple times) and force it through an incoherent and terminally
damaged Parliament that seems to be able to agree on only one things -
May's deal is crap.
So. Hallowe'en then. Terrific - another 6 months. Now I voted Remain, and still think that leaving is a huge mistake, but I am sick and tired of all these arrogant and dogmatic scumbags in Parliament holding the entire country to ransom. If we're going to Leave, then let's get on with it. So here is my wish list:
1. May shows some backbone for once in her life, and makes it clear to the House that this is the Last Chance Saloon. She MUST also listen to what MPs on all sides are saying - not just Corbyn's lot but EVERYONE, on whatever side of the argument and no matter how small their party's representation. They have still been elected to serve the wishes of their constituents and have a right to be heard. This is NOT and should NEVER be, a Tory Brexit. If she is not prepared to do that, she should go now. Today.
2. Corbyn must get off the fence and stop wheedling for an Election that he probably won't win anyway. He has to embrace one of two opposing arguments - either we Leave now, in which case co-operate with the Nasty Party to deliver, or we have another referendum, People's Vote or whatever you want to call it, in which case he must push for that with 100% commitment. Bleating on about negotiating an alternative agreement with the EU, "under a Labour government" is pie-in-the-sky nonsense - if he doesn't understand now that the EU will NEVER re-open negotiations on the deal, no matter who is in power (I use that word tongue in cheek) then he never will. Jezza, stop behaving like a two year old, throwing your toys out of the pram every 10 minutes, and show some balls and political leadership. If you are not capable of doing so then you should say so, and go now. Today.
3. Above all, May must tell the ERG and the DUP bigots that they do NOT own this negotiation. They have held the country to ransom for far too long, and must now come into line. The ERG must support a cross-party solution (assuming one can be found) and compromise their dogma or else resign the whip and leave the Tory party today (the same message should be put to other Tory Brexiters who are not in the ERG). The DUP must be told that while the border issue is important to its relatively small support, it is NOT more important than the combined futures of England, Scotland, Wales and the majority of Northern Irish voters (who accept the need for the Backstop). The Border issue MUST then be first priority in the Future Relationship discussions that can't even start until we've left.
4. The Easter and Summer Parliamentary recesses should be cancelled today. Our elected representatives have far too much critical stuff to do between now and Hallowe'en to go swanning off on holiday for three or four weeks at a time. Leaving it all up to their departments, advisors, secretaries and civil servants is not acceptable this time. They should be working at Westminster to sort out this unholy mess that their political games and personal vested interests have dragged my country into, against its will (no matter which way we voted three years ago, we did NOT vote for this shambles). Arguably, 17.4 million citizens voted in favour of something they had no idea was going to happen - because nobody had a clue what Brexit really meant. Not even that plank Cameron, who called the Referendum and mis-worded the (way too simple) question.
5. Finally, May and her Cabinet MUST abide by any solutions that can be reached in the cross-party discussions and that can carry a majority in the House - even if that solution means revoking A50 and staying in, remaining in some kind of customs union, or holding a further referendum to validate Parliament's preference. They cannot continue to ignore the voices of everybody else. If they really and truly believe in the democratic process (as certain Members are continually insisting is the case), then our voices simply MUST be heard. A second vote (in reality the third or fourth on this entire European question) is in no way a betrayal of democracy. People have the right to change their minds and register that change in this just as in any General Election. The Government has spent the last four months twisting arms and cutting deals in order to persuade dissenting Members to change their minds, and yet are reluctant to allow members of the public electorate to register their change of mind. That seems to me rather less democratic than granting a further public vote.
Do I think any of that will happen? No - but there's nowt wrong in hoping. I suspect, come the middle of September, we will be in an even bigger mess and pleading with the EU for yet more extensions...... God forbid!
So. Hallowe'en then. Terrific - another 6 months. Now I voted Remain, and still think that leaving is a huge mistake, but I am sick and tired of all these arrogant and dogmatic scumbags in Parliament holding the entire country to ransom. If we're going to Leave, then let's get on with it. So here is my wish list:
1. May shows some backbone for once in her life, and makes it clear to the House that this is the Last Chance Saloon. She MUST also listen to what MPs on all sides are saying - not just Corbyn's lot but EVERYONE, on whatever side of the argument and no matter how small their party's representation. They have still been elected to serve the wishes of their constituents and have a right to be heard. This is NOT and should NEVER be, a Tory Brexit. If she is not prepared to do that, she should go now. Today.
2. Corbyn must get off the fence and stop wheedling for an Election that he probably won't win anyway. He has to embrace one of two opposing arguments - either we Leave now, in which case co-operate with the Nasty Party to deliver, or we have another referendum, People's Vote or whatever you want to call it, in which case he must push for that with 100% commitment. Bleating on about negotiating an alternative agreement with the EU, "under a Labour government" is pie-in-the-sky nonsense - if he doesn't understand now that the EU will NEVER re-open negotiations on the deal, no matter who is in power (I use that word tongue in cheek) then he never will. Jezza, stop behaving like a two year old, throwing your toys out of the pram every 10 minutes, and show some balls and political leadership. If you are not capable of doing so then you should say so, and go now. Today.
3. Above all, May must tell the ERG and the DUP bigots that they do NOT own this negotiation. They have held the country to ransom for far too long, and must now come into line. The ERG must support a cross-party solution (assuming one can be found) and compromise their dogma or else resign the whip and leave the Tory party today (the same message should be put to other Tory Brexiters who are not in the ERG). The DUP must be told that while the border issue is important to its relatively small support, it is NOT more important than the combined futures of England, Scotland, Wales and the majority of Northern Irish voters (who accept the need for the Backstop). The Border issue MUST then be first priority in the Future Relationship discussions that can't even start until we've left.
4. The Easter and Summer Parliamentary recesses should be cancelled today. Our elected representatives have far too much critical stuff to do between now and Hallowe'en to go swanning off on holiday for three or four weeks at a time. Leaving it all up to their departments, advisors, secretaries and civil servants is not acceptable this time. They should be working at Westminster to sort out this unholy mess that their political games and personal vested interests have dragged my country into, against its will (no matter which way we voted three years ago, we did NOT vote for this shambles). Arguably, 17.4 million citizens voted in favour of something they had no idea was going to happen - because nobody had a clue what Brexit really meant. Not even that plank Cameron, who called the Referendum and mis-worded the (way too simple) question.
5. Finally, May and her Cabinet MUST abide by any solutions that can be reached in the cross-party discussions and that can carry a majority in the House - even if that solution means revoking A50 and staying in, remaining in some kind of customs union, or holding a further referendum to validate Parliament's preference. They cannot continue to ignore the voices of everybody else. If they really and truly believe in the democratic process (as certain Members are continually insisting is the case), then our voices simply MUST be heard. A second vote (in reality the third or fourth on this entire European question) is in no way a betrayal of democracy. People have the right to change their minds and register that change in this just as in any General Election. The Government has spent the last four months twisting arms and cutting deals in order to persuade dissenting Members to change their minds, and yet are reluctant to allow members of the public electorate to register their change of mind. That seems to me rather less democratic than granting a further public vote.
Do I think any of that will happen? No - but there's nowt wrong in hoping. I suspect, come the middle of September, we will be in an even bigger mess and pleading with the EU for yet more extensions...... God forbid!
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