Brexit: Article 50

Brexit

And so Article 50 has been invoked and the process of finding out what « Brexit means Brexit » actually means can begin. As the minister for Brexit, David Davis, himself has said « when a democracy cannot change its mind it ceases to be a democracy » yet the irreversible Brexit vote must be regarded as democratic and « the will of the people ». This despite the fact that the architect of the Leave campaign has admitted in writing that the campaign would never have been successful if it had not knowingly lied to the public. Theresa May has said that she will block any attempt by Scotland to have a second independence referendum because « nations are stronger together » (except in the case of the EU) and « it would be unfair on the Scots to have a referendum when the consequences are unknown » (but not on the British in the case of the EU referendum). And the democratic government has affirmed that the seat of democracy, Parliament, shall have no say on the final result. Using « democracy » to gain power and power to deny democracy; now where has that happened before?

And so the contradictions, double-think, deceits and lies will probably continue, along with the concomitant hate campaigns and rise in hate crimes. They will continue because they have been shown to work to achieve power and because the bulk of Her Majesty's loyal opposition has decided not to oppose. « For evil to succeed all that is necessary is for good people to do nothing » Bonhoeffer). All this carries the hallmark of every extreme right-wing putsch in history. Brexit is a landmark in British constitutional history but when that landmark comes to be written into the history books in years ahead it is difficult to believe it will be regarded as a glorious period in British politics. More one to be regarded with shame probably, perhaps even contempt, the time when double-think was allowed to turn British democracy on its head.

The Basis For Hope

Hope doesn't have to have a basis, of course. It can be blind hope (desperation?) or wish fulfilment. Applied to the economic outlook vis-a-vis the 50+ countries the UK will have to renegotiate trade deals with, the basis for hope appears as follows. Suppose I offer you 28 diamonds, 4-5 large ones, a similar number of medium-sized ones and a lot of small ones. I demand a price for them, which we agree. Then I scrap that agreement and want another one but this time offer only one of the large diamonds, none of the remaining 27, and demand a higher price for that than for the former 28 (including the big one now on offer). Would you buy it? You can always hope, of course.

I believe the UK is in for a period of extreme right-wing government, a recession (probably deep) and public services of all kinds,including the NHS, cut to the point of virtual extinction unless moderates of all political persuasions can use their votes to find MPs with sufficient backbone to force a change of direction or oust the government..