Brexit, a very British crisis

I haven't written on politics for a looooong time , but the news today that our current "Prime Minister" is suggesting a proroguing of parliament has brought my fingers to the keyboard. In this age of falsehood and fake news, which those of us with long memories might just remember used to be called "lies" I wanted to pick up on a point made by Boris Johnson himself...

"We're not going to wait until October 31st before getting on with our plans to take this country forward, and this is a new government with a very existing agenda to........" at which point he goes on to mention the usual political promises of productivety, wages etc...

But I want to focus attention on the words "new government" Is it? Is this government actually a new government or just a new conservative team that are leading the same government that Theresa May did? Why did she not prorogue parliament? Boris Johnson was elected as a new leader of the Conservative party and thus inherited the responsibility of running the government, based on the same reasoning that Theresa May had... that being a majority of 2 in the house of commons (at the time .. now at time of writing down to one) He went to the queen to formally request permission for his party to do so. This point is important because it impacts onto arguments being put forward by conservative MP's who back Mr Johnson. Arguments that rely heavily on the perception of "normal process" I would suggest that Mr Johnson is making the mistake of viewing his party member mandate as leader in terms equal to an electoral given one, and that either imbue him with the same legitimacy. They do not, but his language, in being economical with the truth and playing with perceptions fudges the issue, creates the confusion and leads to people arguing over irrelevant points within his comments. This enables him to hide, and cling on to power just long enough to let the 31st slip by and then hand over the reigns to someone else and retire from public duty. The rest of the parliamentary representatives, regardless of what badge of allegiance they may wear, need to consider very carefully where we are headed as a country. Should the Queen block this governments "request" then would there be calls for her removal? Either from process or position? Would that give the republicans a voice? And if she doesn't, either through inability or choice, then why is she there? What is her purpose? The monarchy is purportedly in place to enable enactment of a final check and balance against this very circumstance we are living through. That circumstance being political, party, and self interests being deemed more important than service to the people of the country. Neoliberalism is coming home to roost, and consuming Itself having given rise to the undemocratic, "boardroom Business" mindset of the career politico who hides self interest behind a thin veneer of respectability and pseudo-service. We have seen a procession of PM's who assume the mantle of temporary CEO, and style themselves leader, only to move on and leave their failures to others to sort out. This has now lead us to the very real risk that should parliament be prorogued and no deal Brexit simply "happens" then the British Lion that is parliament has not only had this single roar silenced, but also been muzzled and neutered in the process. The Neo liberal ideology will have won a victory for money and style over substance, appearance over ability and electability over integrity.

For in future if parliament disagrees then it will have precedent of having simply been closed down until the incumbent PM decides to allow it to function again. Our US cousins are living through the consequences of electing someone who operates on that infantile level of understanding. A mindset born of business world group think and financial privilege that has no concept of "service" except to themselves. Watch this man Johnson carefully, He is a Brutus to parliament's Caesar, and although we are at the wrong end of the year for this analogy, his assassination of the Lion, aided by his loyal senators will be no less calculating if and when the blade falls. And waiting in the wings? The hawkish US establishment, who will happily buy a cage in which to keep their newly neutered pet cat. There is but one chance left to disarm Brutus, but to do that we must first recognise that he carries a knife. Sarah@stubbornlyoptimistic.me.