The UK is descending into chaos.
The IMF now says its forecast of an economic consequences to Brexit is proving to be correct.
The Windrush fiasco, which is literally all May's handiwork, is destroying relationships with the Commonwealth.
And with EU citizens in the UK.
Whilst the attitude of many Commonwealth countries to LBGT people makes them repugnant preferred trading partners for many in this country.
The EU is planning emergency legislation for a hard Brexit.
Over half of UK legislation for Brexit has yet to make its parliamentary debut.
That which is in progress is stalled due to opposition that makes the chances of government majorities remote.
The government is itself litigating to find out what it must do with Wales and Scotland and their powers post Brexit because it has not got a clue.
And all this fuels the feeling of the UK being hopelessly adrift and on its own, alienated from most nations by its own racism and arrogant perception of its separateness when it has, as a trading nation, always been dependent on others.
It is exceptionally hard to see a way out of this mess. It's easy to blame. But what is really required is a calm, steady voice saying now is the time to find a solution. That this will entail a humiliating climb down that many in England will find very hard to take just adds to the problem. But in the wider interest that has to happen.
I can't, though, spot that calm, steady voice. And that is really worrying.
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Indeed
things are getting quite worrying. There is no sign that the Irish border issue in any closer to being resolved and things could come to a head fairly soon. There seems little sign of the Irish backing down and no lack of calm steady voices. I’m not a great FG fan (too right wing and neoliberal) but they have an excellent team.
I am still a big fan of Caroline Lucas. There sadly has never been a more appropriate time for Orwell’s observation of England being “a family with the wrong members being in control.” There are sensible voices in the Tory party such as Dominic Grieve, Anna Soubry and Ken Clarke. I’m not really sure what Labour are playing at; given the stunning incompetence of the Government they should be making hay; though to be fait David Lammy was exceptional on the Windrush debacle.
Indeed one cannot – in a UK context. The only calm and rational contributors to any public dialogue on these appaling circumstances have come from Scotland and Wales – and particularly from Nicola Sturgeon and Mike Russell. There is no way forward for the UK, as all the possible ‘ways out’ require a type of polity in England which simply does not exist. For Scotland there remains the one and only escape, and that is our independence via our new referendum – and that cannot wait much longer. In fact, the sooner the better.
If I was Scottish I would be working so hard for this
Dammit, I do my bit as it is
Logically & analytically it’s difficult to reach any other conclusion. And all this set against a back-drop of what seems to me to be increasing domestic unrest and division … disparity of wealth, homelessness, job insecurity, regional differences, generational mobility, etc. etc.
One measure of successful government is its ability to facilitate the cohesiveness and fluidity of its electorate. As a small nation we are especially diverse which presents a societal challenge to any government. However under the Tories old divisions are becoming accentuated and new ones emerging.
The resultant level of social instability, when coupled with a gradual, long-term, macro-economic slow-down, could potentially have a disastrous effect for the country from which it will be very difficult to recover. Of course there are solutions but there doesn’t seem to be any realistic chance of them being implemented by either of the main political parties. As stated many times previously, I fear a positive change of direction will not materialise until it all becomes significantly worse; i.e. until more frogs start to feel the heat of the water.
The frustration is that it’s so avoidable.
Agreed, especially with the last
And “kakistocracy” (Govt by the worst people). May does not answer questions and is devious in extreme, the BBC and MSM are propping up this government of one. Perhaps The Speaker should have a green and red light indicating if the PM or Minister had answered the question asked. “Truth was unimportant and entirely subordinate to tactics and psychology” J. Goebbels.
I think the greatest problem is that we allowed darker, shadier ideals back into the public square and these have now become normalised and embedded within our national mindset. It is a like a ratchet or a noose which has caught us by surprise in how quickly it is tightening. Nasty doings that previously seemed remote and impossible – “that couldn’t ever happen here” – are now common place. Once established, this mindset (of ‘making Britain great again’) has become extremely difficult to shift. It is also easy to exploit for those unscrupulous enough to seek gain from it.
At least Scotland, where I live, has access to a lifeboat. But that is a small and bitter consolation. Good grief, if it was later on the day, I’d be poring myself a whisky of despair after writing something like this.
England has to hit bottom before it can recover. I don’t think it’s there yet, or anywhere near. So sad, but It’s really a massive cultural shift that has to take place and there are no shortcuts, even for the English. At least once March 30 2019 arrives the necessary changes will not be so obscured by the false god of Brexit. It’s probably generational, so I expect many younger people who can will emigrate, at least until the demographics shift enough.
Nigel Goddard says:
“England has to hit bottom before it can recover. I don’t think it’s there yet, or anywhere near.”
GFC 2 will create some clarity perhaps.
This analysis rings all the more strikingly true as I’ve just come back from the Netherlands, where Brexit is so remote that when someone mentions it people look puzzled…the only response is “why”…although I know they have their own doubts, fuelled by their own far right movements, they’re not that daft.
Yet they too have had a colonial past, never more evident than in multicultural Amsterdam. They just seem to deal with it differently…so close and yet so different…might it have something to do with those “sensible and calm voices” which perhaps exist there and not here?
I just wanted to stay away from the UK and enjoy sanity a little longer…but I’ll no doubt find it in Dublin tomorrow, the trouble is every time I go to “Europe” I feel even more like staying there.
I might just do that. Leave the mess behind.
I agree: the Dutch are utterly bemused by us
For example, here’s a cultural shift that needs to happen and that will take at least years, and possibly decades: https://twitter.com/sime0nstylites/status/986301223086252033?s=21
Thanks
“UK hopelessly adrift..alienated by most nations by its own racism”.. what do you mean?
Our racism has so far alienated the EU and Commonwealth
How much further can it go?
“Our racism has so far alienated the EU and Commonwealth
How much further can it go?”
Fairly well entrenched in the treatment and attitude towards the home nations too.
Cut for another song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vh-wEXvdW8
The so-called Windrush situation (mostly child immigrants in the 1950s and 1960s, I think, rather than the 1940s) is what Theresa May’s “hostile environment” looks like. Denying driving licenses, NHS treatment, housing, bank accounts, jobs, to people without the right piece of paper. Turning employers, landlords, doctors, and other service providers in the public and private sector into unpaid immigration agents and informants (on pain of penalties).
And potentially deporting people who clearly have the right to live here, but who fail to tick the arbitrary boxes set by the Home Office.
Yet another deeply unfair and discriminatory Tory government policy, like the reforms to disability benefits.
It is disgusting that a British government can treat its people this way in the 21st century.
It all has this very nasty feel: “Papers, please”, with implied threat
It’s Jeremy Corbyn – all day long.
That he’s managed to be even vaguely cool and calm when people keep accusing him of all sorts of perfidy is testimony to this.
He’s bang on about the EU too – an indefinite transition period until GFC2 makes perfect sense.
He knows how disastrous ‘out voice’ has been ‘on the world stage’ – so better off keeping it as small as possible while we get our own house in order. If this coincides with the dismantling of the UK then mores the better.
I am afraid if it was Labour would now be 10+ points clear in the polls
It is not
He is not the person
Perhaps not, yet Labour was 20 points lower before him, and expected to crash in 2017 GE. Which it didn’t, because of the JC grass-roots mobilisation. A phenomenon which is literally extraordinary in terms of modern/contemporary political mobilisation. So dismissing him isn’t entirely convincing. But we’ll see.
He was hopeless yesterday though
He has his merits
But knocking out Tories seems to be beyond him
Ah, Forgive me – it looks like I’ve rather misread your initial argument. What you want is a ‘calm steady voice’ that is putting forward a particular policy (climbing down from Brexit).
I was concentrating on the calm steady-bit – in opposing militarism (to my mind a very much more important and pressing issue at the moment).
I’m still not convinced that the voice you’re looking for would do anything to dent the Tories any more than Corbyn has done so far – quite the opposite infact.
My other comments re Cooper, Burnham etc still stand.
He’s remained calm despite almost the entire media, much of the Establishment and half of his party against him – to expect him to be 10 points (rather than just a few) ahead is, I’m afraid to say, rather silly.
He was ‘poor’ yesterday in PMQs but this is in the context where Theresa May was applauded for lying directly to his face, the House and the country. Parliamentary procedure restricts the rights of anyone to call liars out as such and, in case you haven’t noticed. he’s made quite a lot out of a ‘kinder, gentler’ politics – to now criticise him for being consistent in this respect is too, rather silly.
Also to criticise him for not ‘knocking out’ Tories ignores the fact that the scenario has changed very much since the post-war years when misleading the house automatically led to a resignation (or at least that’s the rosy view of what went on back then). Ministers can get away with all sorts of things these days – especially with a media that’s happy to bung whatever it is down the memory hole. If covering up serious sexual abuse in detention centres to protect out-sourcing firms – as May did as Home Secretary – wasn’t enough to have her sacked before Corbyn was leader, then I can’t imagine what would be becessary now.
You only have to compare the reaction to the anti-semetism claims with May’s (very racist) ‘hostile environment’ policy to see what he’s up against.
He’s been calm and measured in reactions to the Skripal affair , the alleged CW attack in Douma and, yes, the Windrush scandal. That there was any dissent to the increasingly implausible government claims in their rush to war is almost entirely due to him, his courage and integrity – can you imagine the reaction of an opposition led by Cooper, Burnham, Kendal or Smith – the bombing would still be going on now.
Please be realistic
I am amply old and able enough not to be silly when knowing Labour should be vastly further ahead than it is
This is a terrible government and he is not hurting it
Get real
The vast majority of the electorate seem so lazy when it comes to understanding economic and monetary system matters but I suppose it was ever thus but all the more reason not to allow the mainstream media to be owned and managed in such a way that it allows repulsive and undemocratic individuals to feed the electorate with fake news and disfunctional ideology. Again a majority of voters particularly in England and Wales don’t seem to care who owns their organs of information. The country seems to have become increasingly a “Couldn’t Care Less Land.”
Richard, I can find only one fault with your list, it is generously short. I wonder if Grenfell and the related actions and wilful lack of actions by Government at national and local level will add to it. I’m sure those dealing with DWP and HMRC could add countless more examples.
Trust is essential for democracy. When, finally, this shoddy, shabby bunch are thrown out will Theresa May leave a ‘Byrne’ note on her desk saying “There’s no trust left”.
Well suggested
The voices are there, but they are dismissed as traitors by the Right and Blairites by the Left.