Five Stand-Out Political Moments that Defined 2019

31/12/2019:

Twitter has been jam-packed full of galaxy brained word-salad explaining our political situation; so i'll save you that this New Year. Instead, In no paticular order; here are my stand out moments of 2019 and a brief explanation of how they transpired.

#5 Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement Bill:

Rejection accross the board.

As Prime Minister, there were a lot of things Theresa May didn’t get, but nothing eluded her quite like Brexit. The deal the Prime Minister had negotiated didn’t suit any faction in parliament. Invariably her party even voted against it; the official story is that it was voted down three times, although there was one then three in quick succession. May’s attempts to ‘get Brexit done’ were blocked by our parliament in a painful display that culminated in her resignation. Prime Minister Johnson, as a backbencher, voted against May’s deal twice and has now won an election campaign off the back of ending something he contributed to.

#4 Change UK: The Rise and Fall.

A Thick-of-It style satire of British politics that was the talk of The Guardian for three months, they were the Independent Group of ex-Labour and Conservative MPs who broke away to form a party, with nothing but a dream of remaining in the European Union. These trendy pre-Credit Crunch throwbacks would post pictures of them discussing policy in coffee shops on Instagram. From their confusing logo to the name that seems to contradict their main goal, this rag-tag bunch changed the game in British politics from their conception to their annihilation at the European elections. In the end, they were out remained by the ever-charismatic Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable, who was due to resign in two months.

#3 The Tory Leadership Contest - An Ego Parade.

The Tory leadership contest was a testosterone-fuelled scramble that saw so many candidates chuck their hat in the ring that they had to change the rules. Rumour was that at least three of the candidates were Health Secretary Matt Hancock in a series of disguises. The leadership election brought Rory Stewart into the mainstream, a hedgehog loving Etonian who captured the hearts and minds of Remainers, which counts for very little standing as leader of the Conservatives. In the end, the best man won - having offered the same cabinet position to four different colleagues.

#2 A Turning Point: The Birth of 'get Brexit done'.

Jo Cox was a Labour MP who was murdered by a Brexit activist during the 2016 referendum. Our ever-compassionate Prime Minister was asked in September about the language he had used - such as ‘surrender bill’ - invoking possible violence. Labour MPs cited their deceased colleague as inspiration for the appeal, the Prime Minister rambled for a while and finished with “the best way to honour Jo Cox’ memory is to ‘get Brexit done.”

A complete flip of the logic of which he was presented, Johnson set the pace early for an election campaign designed to bring everything back around to the talking points and more specifically; to getting Brexit done. In terms of what it is acceptable to say in parliament, it reaffirmed the fact that words don't have the same effect anymore. This was a British Prime Minister appearing to disrespect a late-colleague - Not ordinarily a good look, but the people want what the people want. As we learned this December.

#1 The Conservative Majority: A Blue Dawn.

The Tory majority was a late entry that blew all others firmly out of the water, Boris Johnson’s majority of 80 has been a surprising relief for those like me, side-lined as mere observers of the dizzying effects of Leaving the EU.

It silenced the Remain storm that had been brewing and ended Corbyn’s evil plan to fund public services. So, what happened in late 2019? In short, no one knows. The Daily Express would say that the Tories have tapped into something invisible Labour and the Liberal Democrat’s couldn’t - never mind the four editorials the pm had in the Sunday papers before the election.

As the 'told you so's' ricochet across the Labour party; Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson spent Christmas in the Caribbean. A party the same only in name from this time last year, it will be interesting to see what this government throws at us now. The Labour party locked in the ideological tedium of 'Left vs Centre', without consideration or care for actual policy. Not everything has changed.