Another Signpost on the Endless ‘Road to Brexit’
- Liam John
- Oct 31, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 28, 2019
As we hit yet another ‘final deadline’ to leave the EU, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, far from dying in a ditch, has been granted his general election for the 12th of December along with a Brexit extension to January 31st.
As I write this the party machines are setting in motion campaigns that are likely to be extremely bitter, it’s unclear what the outcome will be.
That spontaneity, the fact that nothing is statistically likely to happen but something technically must, might just have that wow factor that ITV needs in that dry spell after the X-factor final. Taking them right up until mid-December, at which time it becomes acceptable to play old Christmas films in the 6-8pm window.
What a wonderful Christmas present for our friendly media barons this horrendous clash of personalities will prove to be. Just as the lovely people at News Corp U.K. (formerly News International) and Reach plc (formerly Trinity Mirror) are beginning to tire us out with Brexit, they hit the political jackpot.
We have two big parties heading into an all-or-nothing, head-on collision that neither seems to want or have any chance of coming out of in one piece. Neither seeming overly confident beyond keeping up appearance. Daniel Hannan wrote in the Daily Mail this Saturday: “Labour has now run out of excuses it can’t delay any longer.”
Andrew Marr put this to Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbot, who said Labour would only vote for an election when No Deal was permanently off the table. On Tuesday Labour decided to support an election despite their low polling position, this pressure, presumably, playing a part in their decision.
Reluctance seems to be present on both sides of the aisle, Tory backbenchers clinched their teeth as the man about to lead them into a gruelling six-week battle bumbled his way through his drunken best man routine.
The troops rallying behind their fearless leader
Reluctance cannot, however, be found at camp Lib Dem’. Leader Joe Swinson continues to shrug off any suggestion they will seek a coalition. The Liberal Democrats’, with little-to-no policy beyond stopping Brexit and changing the voting system so they can win elections, are preparing for victory. Whether that will survive the coverage the ‘big two’ will receive over the next six weeks is yet to be seen. It’s cold for a Lib Dem’ at election time.
The refusal of a coalition by the Liberal Democrats’ is expected to take away from Labour’s position as they would be expected allies in a hung parliament. Regardless of how Labour MPs feel about the December poll, Prime Minister’s Questions’ must have reassured them tenfold. Corbyn is competent when compared to a Prime Minister who can’t remember how many hospitals he plans to build or where.
Nevertheless, on we march through several more ‘meaningful votes‘ and another meaningless deadline towards a general election set to pose more questions than it answers.
Like the gift of socks from a Grandparent, these MPs must pretend this election is what they’ve always dreamt of. And as excruciating as it is to watch, like passing a crash on the motorway, we can’t look away.
Comments