In The End

Nigel Farage's enormous regional infrastructure programme would be news if anyone still cared about the Brexit Party. Or very much about Brexit. The people who used to vote UKIP are still there. But that is pretty much all that we are talking about now.

There is no way that we are leaving the EU on 31st October. Simply in point of fact, that is not going to happen. Least of all under Boris Johnson, although he is most unlikely to be Prime Minister by then. His own party's MPs will see to that.

Nevertheless, since he may still have a Premiership, however brief, Johnson's enormous regional infrastructure programme, and his commitment to greatly increased borrowing in order to pay for it, is news. Even the loyal Sophy Ridge had to compare him on air to John McDonnell, which he did not deny. He has conceded the end, just not the means. Enter someone with an understanding of Modern Monetary Theory.

Farage has not conceded the end. He comes from a clear political position that is incompatible with the objectives that he is now purporting to profess. In the end, a General Election manifesto acceptable to him will never be acceptable to at least half of the people who voted for the Brexit Party at the European Elections, including several of that party's own MEPs.

Johnson, on the other hand, has no political position beyond the advancement of Boris Johnson, so there might have been potential, if there might have been any chance of his lasting as Prime Minister. But in both cases, they are where they now are only because of four years of Jeremy Corbyn. Commitments of this kind on their part would have been absolutely unthinkable without him.

The problem is that most Labour MPs do not share any such commitment. Another hung Parliament is coming, however, and we need our people to hold the balance of power in it. A new party will be registered before the House of Commons rises for the summer recess, even if I have to pay for it myself, ongoing lawfare or no ongoing lawfare.

And I will stand for Parliament here at North West Durham even if I can raise only the deposit, which I could do by going pretty overdrawn, although that was not how I was brought up. I would still prefer to raise the £10,000 necessary to mount a serious campaign, but I am no longer making my candidacy conditional on having done so. In any event, please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.