A Fine Mess for the Moment Sooner, rather than later, Boris Johnson will get his election—and Brexit will happen at last. Christopher Gage
It comes to something when the one of the most serene and sensible of political voices stems from a newspaper dedicated to the violent overthrow of capitalism.
Yet, The Morning Star—Britain’s only Communist newspaper, and once reliant on bulk orders from the Soviet Union—this week offered much in the way of common-sense; a commodity vanishingly rare in modern Britain.
“The Morning Star believes that the referendum result should be respected, and Britain should leave the EU on October 31, with or without a deal,” the paper proclaimed, parroting almost verbatim the mantra of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a man the same newspaper routinely daubs “fascist.”
Yes, dear reader, the beacon of democratic propriety appears to be a Leninist newspaper that papered over the barbarism of the Soviet Union and still harbors fantasies of violent revolution.
The ‘Rebel Alliance’ vs. the People
Over the past week, the formerly serious country of Great Britain perhaps seared its joke status into history.
First, Remainers armed with cheese, olives, and a good bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, blocked London streets in picnic fashion, without threat of harm or arrest, to protest an apparent “coup.”
Then lawmakers, laughingly called “rebels” who even fancy themselves as such, voted to block a no-deal Brexit, and tie the prime minister’s hands in negotiation with the European Union.
Parliament has taken back control from the people. But they cannot avoid the people for too long.
Yes, that same European Union 17.4 million people voted, 1,169 days ago, to leave.
That bill, which passed by a majority of 29, could force Boris Johnson to seek another extension to our current leaving date of October 31.
If it clears remaining hurdles, this stamps a legal duty on the prime minister to extend Article 50—the Brexit starting-shot—next month, if a Brexit deal has not been approved.
After that debacle, the prime minister demanded a fresh election—a de facto second referendum. (Third, if you count the last general election which saw two parties committed to leaving the EU swallow over 80 percent of the vote.)
Indeed. Those Remainers, backed by Conservative “rebels” who will never reconcile themselves with this country governing itself, then scotched that, too.
Yes. The people who have spent three-and-a-half years demanding a second referendum, or another election, declined the offer of what they claim to have wanted all along.
Jeremy Corbyn, Voice of the Remainers
So, as I write, Boris Johnson is mired with little recourse on offer. This country is no longer serious. Sell the house. Sell the car. Sell the kids.
Perhaps, we should have seen this coming. After all, the man who leads the official opposition, and a party once esteemed serious, is Jeremy Corbyn. Jeremy couldn’t finish a cucumber sandwich without first moralizing over the plight of Uzbek cucumber farmers.
A Brexiteer since forever, Jeremy is now the voice of the Remainer establishment. He has demanded a new election 50 times this year alone.
Yet, Jeremy perhaps now has realized his double-bluffing has not exactly impressed the Leave-voting Labour heartlands. An election now likely could condemn Labour to third-placed irrelevance.
Which is why those esteemed lawmakers, those “fighting for democracy,” aren’t too keen on going back to “the people,” as they so charmingly call us.
Because we would, again, provide the wrong answer.
A Great Realignment Is Inevitable
Polls suggest that Boris, if he manages to get his desired October 15 election (two weeks before we are scheduled to leave) would Hoover up 35 percent of the vote, with much of that coming from orphaned Labour heartlanders.
The Labour party, and the ultra-Remain Liberal Democrats, would each share around 20 percent, while the Brexit Party (around 14 percent) would agree to a non-aggression pact with the Conservatives.
In short: Labour, pretenders of the working-class, largely would be confined to the bougie boulevards of leafy London where, I’m told, they willingly eat falafel.
Indeed, Corbyn is especially unkeen to go to the people because just 18 percent of them think he should become prime minister.
Remarkably, more voters—clearly undeterred by no-deal mystagoguery—would prefer a no-deal Brexit than Prime Minister Jeremy (Vom.) Corbyn.
While 43 percent said a Prime Minister Corbyn would be the “worst possible” outcome, just 35 percent said a no-deal exit would be worse. And voters won’t blame Boris for any Brexit delay—a keystone of Corbyn’s wargaming.
So, parliament has taken back control from the people. But they cannot avoid the people for too long. Sooner, rather than later, Boris will get his election. According to The Spectator, Johnson’s aides are still primed for October.
One route is to opt for a one-line bill calling for an election. This would require a simple majority, and not the two-thirds Boris failed to get on Wednesday night.
This all depends on timing and Jeremy Corbyn. A poll before October 31 would allow Boris to harness the entire Leave vote and blitz all comers, with a promise to secure a sizeable majority and get Brexit done—finally—by October 31.
A new parliament would teem with lawmakers imbued with the old-fashioned respect for those who employ them. And a desire to represent the radical majority.
(Any later, and this country will have missed two deadlines, and still remain within the EU—you can guess what voters would think of that.)
If all goes well, I might take out a subscription to The Morning Star in comradely solidarity for the mad Marxists, and their respect for democracy.
A concept which, sadly, I always thought was inalienable in a country that still calls itself “Great.”
Comments are closed.
