Did we vote for a "No Deal Brexit" in 2016? Well, we did not vote against it. And in 2019, the areas that had decided that result did give an overall majority to a party that was still prepared for that outcome, as both main parties had been in 2017. That is a mandate, and a very recent one.
But a mandate for what? Boris Johnson seems to be in no doubt. He understands that he owes his overall majority to people and places that voted for Jeremy Corbyn in 2017, and which would have done so again if it had not been for the change in Corbyn's position on Brexit.
Free from the EU's State Aid rules and so forth, Johnson and the hugely ambitious Rishi Sunak have every intention of implementing John McDonnell's economic programme, to the enormous benefit of the areas that have put them where they are after having suffered the most, under all three parties, since the Callaghan Government's turn to monetarism in 1977.
That was why they voted Leave, deciding the referendum result. That was why they voted so heavily for Labour in 2017 that Theresa May lost her overall majority. And that was why they voted so heavily for the Conservatives in 2019 that Johnson went from heading a minority government to having an overall majority of 80.
In that context, those who dream of Singapore-on-Thames are simply irrelevant. They can have Keir Starmer as Leader of the Labour Party, but it was already psephologically impossible for Labour to win in 2024, so the Left will be able to answer the cry of "You're unelectable" with, "Well, so are you."
And as for the Conservative Party, Daniel Hannan's peerage will be the consolation prize that sends the Bargain Basement Britain Brigade back to the outer fringes of the think tank world while Alexander Boris de Kingdom Brunel got on with doing what he does, almost as if Peter Shore had ever become Prime Minister.
Still, the Red Wall has not exchanged one one-party state for another. Ours is the 2020 Vision of a new political party, a new think tank, a new weekly newspaper, a new monthly cultural review, a new quarterly academic journal, and so much else besides. I will be standing for Parliament again here at North West Durham next time, so please give generously. In any event, please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.
And as for the Conservative Party, Daniel Hannan's peerage will be the consolation prize that sends the Bargain Basement Britain Brigade back to the outer fringes of the think tank world while Alexander Boris de Kingdom Brunel got on with doing what he does, almost as if Peter Shore had ever become Prime Minister.
Still, the Red Wall has not exchanged one one-party state for another. Ours is the 2020 Vision of a new political party, a new think tank, a new weekly newspaper, a new monthly cultural review, a new quarterly academic journal, and so much else besides. I will be standing for Parliament again here at North West Durham next time, so please give generously. In any event, please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment