With Teresa May calling a General Election in June, it seems to me that rather than an election about party priorities it will be an opportunity to return a vote as to whether we should leave Europe on what ever terms are offered or if the terms are so bad perhaps we should reconsider. Voting in Scotland has become simply
a nationalistic call for ridding themselves of the chains of Westminster and much less than on bread and butter issues. Tim Farron of the Liberals sees it as I do an opportunity to send another message to the political elite in Westminster about staying in the EU, he of course has
raged at the referendum result since it was announced and one could expect the "Remains" to lend him their vote. With 49% of the electorate recently coalescing around remaining in the EU one would have thought his singular political party opposition to leaving
would draw a huge following since, as I say this election following a divisive Referendum will be seen by many as a one issue vote.
Sadly the Labour Party have been all over the place with so many of their core voters wishing to leave the EU and many wishing to stay. It meant that Jeremy Corbyn had to relinquish his own preferred opposition to Europe and its cartels and try the difficult
balancing act of re-establish a middle position on the matter. Of course in politics this is seen as fence sitting and there is nothing worse for someone who proclaims he has leadership potential.
If people who had voted against Brexit reduces significantly the Conservative vote can they continue to proceed with the Referendum vote. Would it mean, cap in hand, to ask for our letter back. The Europeans would probably welcome us back as a wounded
force, put in our place as it were and something of a laughing stock.
The doom sayers would heave a sigh of relief, especially the financial markets who see untold problems in our leaving since we learn more and more, how tight the is knot which ties all national economies these days, Not as it was 10 to 15 years ago when individual
nations counted in the general scheme of things.
National agendas have been overtaken by Global agendas. Economic Groups such as the Europeans, China, America and to a lesser extent Russia, India and the Brick nations have a collective strength which far outweighs a single country the size of ours and
so, as welcome as it is to cast our minds back to Empire, I think we have missed that boat.
That's not to say that we are in a canoe without a paddle only that we might consider downsizing our self esteem and begin to think, like many smaller nations, about our own society and how we can revive it, instead of worrying about other societies
far away on the other side of the world. I believe that we, like them have rights. Although I hate the term rights we should not be afraid to cherish the institutions which give us our special kite mark. The NHS, unarmed police, a respect for not only the laws but the systems
which bring those laws into being, an ability to largely get on with all the people who come to live here, a deep accommodation without sacrificing norms for those who proclaim they are different to us in what ever way, a respect of the sick and elderly, an
admiration for the youth who cleave out new ways to get to where they want to be, and so much more. This is the mark of a mature society, a society who should not be told what to think but should be admired for the instinctive way it ploughs its their own furrow without disturbing the neighbours.
No comments:
Post a Comment