American Friend: ‘Hey Ralph, what’s happening with you guys?
Crazy politics!’
Ralph: ‘Yep. Not our most glorious moment as a British
people.’
AF: ‘So what exactly has happened? Explain it to me.’
R: ‘I’ll have a go. But just to get things into perspective,
you guys have got Donald Trump!’
AF: ‘Fair enough!’So here is my attempt at an answer to my American friend:
BACKSTORY
There’s quite a backstory to this. A lot of it involves the
press and their ability to spin a story. Our press are not neutral. We boast a
free press, but with it comes a lot of baggage. Especially press intrusion,
wild headlines and frankly, lies.
We have the BBC of course. Supposedly neutral. But probably
not. It tends towards the left wing of British politics and is not averse to
trying to get a scoop, seemingly at the cost of the truth. (Cliff Richard, our British
pop icon, has been dragged through the mud on his private life- started by the
BBC filming a raid on his home. Turns out none of it is true. Hope he sues).
All of this is to say, people believe the cheap headlines.
FROM BLAIR AND BROWN
New Labour had its day and lost the election. Not helped by
a lacklustre Gordon Brown who probably should never have been Prime Minister.
The election results were a surprise though. It needed a
Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition to reach consensus on a new
Government. They did a pretty good job. The LibDems stopped the more extreme
right wing agenda of the Conservatives and the fallout from the 2008 world
economic crisis was managed well.
THE LAST ELECTION
The last election changed that. The LibDems were punished by
their supporters for the alliance with the Conservatives and the first past the
post electoral system meant they paid a higher price in number of MPs that the
actual vote for them suggested.
Prime Minister Cameron had freedom to introduce a right wing
agenda, and he did.
But on Europe, he was caught by his own manoeuvrings. At a
point of weakness and with pressure from the extreme right wing, he had earlier
caved in to offering a referendum on Europe- should we stay in the European
Union or not? That’s the referendum we’ve just been through.
LABOUR FAILURE
British politics needs a robust and effective opposition. There
hasn’t been one since the demise of Blair and Brown.
The unions pushed through a vote on a new leader of the
Labour party that favoured younger brother Ed Miliband over older brother
David. That was the catalyst for Labours demise. Ed was not a leader and duly
lost the election, spectacularly giving Cameron an unfettered government.
Before he left, Ed also ensured Labour would remain
unelectable by letting in the £3 voters. These are people that can vote in a
Labour leadership election by paying just £3. Sounds ridiculous? It was. The extreme
left in the Labour party used the changes to their advantage and the
unelectable labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn is the result.
IMPLOSION
And now the country has imploded. Based on a set of
untruths, the vote out brigade won the referendum. Economic misery is the
likely result. All three major parties
are in trouble: the LibDems don’t have the MPs. The Conservatives have Cameron’s
resignation to deal with and infighting still on Europe. And Labour has to deal
with an unelectable leader who at the time of writing is refusing to go,
despite 80% of his own MPs asking him to do so.
Some on the extreme right wing have taken the vote as an
excuse for racial violence. And just when we need a steady hand and a clear
mind, no one is stepping up.
NEXT?
Not sure. Could be violence on the streets. Could be
economic ruin. I hope not. There’s a gap in politics once again, for a middle
ground / left of centre party. If that’s not Labour, maybe someone will be brave
enough to start a new party.
Maybe the Conservatives will sort themselves out in time.
And maybe the EU will drop the rhetoric and give Britain a good deal outside of
their borders. Maybe.
But it could be worse. At least Donald Trump is the other side
of the Atlantic.
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