Democracy in the UK
The anniversary of Brexit has got all the usual suspects out onto our airwaves and they are a smug lot. Apparently there are no costs, only benefits and if there are any costs they are worth it because we have regained our democracy. Yes, seriously.
It comes as bit of a shock to think that we unknowingly lived in some kind of dictatorship, when we thought that Edward Heath, James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and even David Cameron, were actually in charge.
Think of all those budgets and autumn statements and Queen’s speechs that were covered relentlessly, the Prime Ministers Question Times on once or twice a week. Think of all those laws the House of Commons passed and the endless debates, the wars we fought in and the treaties the UK signed.
Apparently they never happened, we were not a democracy because we agreed that safety standards for widgets should be decided and approved by ministers in Brussels. Gaining widget manufacturers seamless access to a market of hundreds of millions.
But it does all explain something, why British industry cannot find anyone in government to listen to them. Because Brexit is pure and decent and democratic and patriotic and anyone who wants to alter or improve it in any way is a traitor.
The messianic gleam in the eyes of the few true Brexiteers is all the information you need. They are in a state of grace, everything is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.
They cannot see, hear or speak of anything that might be wrong about Brexit because once they do that, their faith based dream would shatter in the cold light of reality.
At least a new government might be rational, logical and practical, it might at least listen.
Which isn’t much to ask of a democracy. But apparently too much for this government.
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.
By Jonty Bloom Media