Brexit Bulletin: It’s all about who becomes Tory leader

 

‘Our sufferings are countless, Our pleasures are a motley few, Spend all day digging my grave, Now go get Sunday’s slave…’ ¹

 

Apologies for the lack of bulletins, or perhaps I should apologise for restarting?

 

Anyway, back from sunning myself in Europe, namely Italy where being British is viewed more strangely than ever before.

Whilst Italy, under Salvini, slides inexorably further right, they aren’t so surprised that we are joining them, after all Boris and the Brexit Party et al only differ in the shades of their black shirts, it’s that they always viewed the UK as a stable democracy and now we are descending into farce.

But enough of that; what’s been happening in Brexit land? Basically, not too much, although once the Tory leadership contest is decided there should be much to laugh and cry about.

‘they always viewed the UK as a stable democracy and now we are descending into farce’

However, one speech is worth recounting; a speech for freedom, for slaves breaking free of their shackles. ‘Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.‘

Sorry, it’s not your speech M.Rousseau, neither is it yours Messrs Luther-King and Mandela, or even Sir Bob Geldorf, instead it’s that well known progressive, er, Ann Widdecombe.

The Brexit Party MEP has, in her maiden (was that a cheap shot?…..Ed) speech to the European Parliament, been comparing the UK leaving the EU to ‘slaves’ rising-up ‘against their owners’, comments which critics branded as ‘disgusting’ and ‘offensive’.

Ms Widdecombe also criticised the process of choosing EU leadership saying that ‘the best thing for Britain is to leave here as soon as possible’.

She continued ‘There is a pattern consistent throughout history of oppressed people turning on the oppressors – slaves against their owners, the peasantry against the feudal barons, colonies… against their empires, and that is why Britain is leaving. ‘And it doesn’t matter which language you use – we are going and we are glad to be going.’ ‘Nous allons. Wir gehen. We’re off!’

‘Ms Widdecombe was giving her party leader, Nigel Farage, ‘stiff competition as chief clown’’

In response, EU Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt said Ms Widdecombe was giving her party leader, Nigel Farage, ‘stiff competition as chief clown’.

And, perhaps the Tories are to soon have their own contender for chief clown should Boris continue his seemingly unstoppable march to Number 10. Last evening’s televised debate with his opponent, Jeremy Hunt, should serve as ample warning of what we can expect from his premiership. His statements included:

 

• Not quitting if he fails to deliver on his central promise to get Britain out of the EU by 31 October.
• Try to prorogue parliament in order to drive Brexit over the line. More of this next.
• Sacking Sir Kim Darroch as UK ambassador to the United States as soon as he gets his feet under the table and he will cosy up to Donald Trump by making a political appointment to succeed the man Trump called ‘wacky’. More of this later……
• He will not override the Democratic Unionist party on LGBT rights in Northern Ireland.
• The HS2 high-speed rail plan is now as good as dead.
• As is the third runway at Heathrow and, probably, revive his plan to move London’s airport to an eye-watering and uncosted site in the Thames estuary.

 

By comparison Hunt was a whole ocean of sense, consistently highlighting Johnson’s copious flaws.

 

• Hunt was the only one to talk about the danger of the UK breaking up.
• He defended May against Trump.
• He was the only one to talk about low pay and
• The only one to talk about the ‘very serious’ dangers of a no-deal Brexit.

 

You can’t get through ‘on a wing and a prayer’, said Hunt, who, of the two, looks and sounds like a PM. But it’s all to no avail, Johnson is going to win the ballot among the predominantly right-wing, old, white and male inhabitants of southern England who make up the electorate because he is promising what they passionately want to hear; Brexit will happen by the autumn.

 

‘You’re weighing the gold, I’m watching you sinking, Fool’s gold, Fool’s gold..’ ²

 

Returning to Johnson’s threat to prorogue Parliament in order to force a hard Brexit through, John Major aka ‘The Thin White Duke’ and former Tory prime minister told the Today programme that any move to ‘prorogue’, or suspend, parliament in order to drive through a no-deal crash-out from the European Union would be ‘completely and utterly against parliamentary tradition.’ Adding that ‘I, for one, would be prepared to go and seek judicial review to prevent parliament being bypassed.’

‘a former Tory PM just threatened to take the next Tory PM to court to stop a no-deal Brexit’

Or, put another way, a former Tory PM just threatened to take the next Tory PM to court to stop a no-deal Brexit.

Unfortunately, this warning comes too late to affect the outcome of the leadership election. All that will happen is that these comments will only galvanise the Brexit ultras who dominate today’s Tory party, who will simply add Major to the long list of ‘enemies of the people’ who stand in the way of their Brexit dream.

For these people leaving is no longer sufficient, to be a true Brexiteer today, you must be ready to leave the EU without a deal even if that means denying MPs a say.

These are the same Leave campaigners who said we had to exit the EU for the sake of parliamentary sovereignty, to restore the right of MPs to have the final say on how Britain is governed. And now, only three years later, they are insisting on the right to cut MPs out of this decision altogether.

This simply serves to highlight the depths to which some Leavers have sunk, they are prepared to ditch a constitution that has endured for over three centuries, destroying parliamentary government in much the same way as Hitler dismissed the Reichstag.

‘they are prepared to ditch a constitution that has endured for over three centuries, destroying parliamentary government’

And last and not least we turn to poor old Sir Kim Darroch, our former ambassador to the US who resigned yesterday, not helped by Johnson repeatedly dodging questions about whether he would sack the Sir Kim if he became PM.

Senior Conservative MPs joined the direct criticism of the leadership contender, describing his conduct as ‘unedifying’ and ‘contemptible’. Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the foreign affairs select committee, asked: ‘If you do not support those you put into very difficult positions, what do you think is going to happen?’

Unfortunately, this has probably happened too late to derail Johnson’s leadership bid, but it has shown how poor his judgement can be, a point highlighted by party members:

 

• Sir Alan Duncan (Foreign Office minister); ‘For someone who wants to lead, let alone unite, the country, that was contemptible negligence on his part. He has basically thrown this fantastic diplomat under the bus to serve his own personal interests.’
• Conservative MP Sir Patrick McLoughlin; ‘It is unedifying to see someone who wants to be prime minister failing to stand up for hard-working civil servants, who have done nothing wrong, under attack from foreign governments. Leadership involves standing up for your team.’
• Former Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt said: ‘Anyone, I think, would have seen last night’s events and seen a potential prime minister letting someone go very publicly.’
• Jeremy Hunt; ‘deeply saddened’ by the outcome, adding: ‘I am outraged that a selection of his reports should have been leaked.’

 

The US took the moral high ground, a state department spokeswoman said: ‘The United States and the United Kingdom share a bond that is bigger than any individual and we look forward to continuing that partnership. We remain committed to the US-UK special relationship and our shared global agenda.’

‘Remember, its America first! Always has been, and always will be’

And there we have it, our probable future PM is wedded to Brexit at any cost, even if it means defying a democratically elected parliament, and will trample on anyone to further his political career.

And to achieve their holy grail he is prepared to completely contradict the original Leave message of restoring the right of MPs to have the final say on how Britain is governed

And, let us finish where we started with oppressed people turning on the oppressors, which, according to Ann Widecombe, is why Britain wants to leave the EU.

Rubbish! All leaving will achieve is swapping one oppressor for another, the US.

We will become a vassal state of that country, jumping when told to jump, and waiting forlornly for their support which will be only be forthcoming when it suits them.

Remember, its America first! Always has been, and always will be.

 

‘All the way from Washington, Her bread-winner begs off the bathroom floor, We live for just these twenty years. Do we have to die for the fifty more?’ ³

 

OK lyric spotters, for those of you that have been cold turkey for the last couple of weeks, Philip’s back with a triple treat to test you with.

¹ First off the rank is ‘Sunday’s Slave’ from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds; taken from the 1988 Tender Prey – if you’re not familiar, its worth checking out, if not a laugh a minute.

² Next up is one that sneaked past me; great track, instantly recognisable, but didn’t know it was called that – ‘Fools Gold’ by the Stone Roses.

³ Last, but by no means least – if dubbing John Major ‘the Thin White Duke’ didn’t put you on the scent, David Robert Jones with ‘Young Americans’; and did you know that whilst on the subject of Bromley’s finest, did you know that Space Oddity was released fifty years ago today – now where did that go?! Enjoy

 

 

Philip Gilbert is a city-based corporate financier, and former investment banker.

Philip is a great believer in meritocracy, and in the belief that if you want something enough you can make it happen. These beliefs were formed in his formative years, of the late 1970s and 80s

 

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