Is Brexit Null and Void?

Wishful thinking

It beggars belief that almost two months into the six-month extension to find a deal for Brexit that there has been no new thinking by the government. They are trying to transfer the blame onto the opposition following the breakdown of talks between the two largest parties. Labour has been complicit in these talks because they wanted to be seen to respect the result of the 2016 referendum. They did not have the gumption to indicate that they thought the only way forward would be a confirmatory vote. As a result they are reaping the anger of many of their voters who are transferring their allegiance to parties who are less guileful and more forthright about Brexit.

The talks were never likely to result in any accommodation. Mrs May has never understood the concept of negotiation, nor have most of her ministers. No stereoscope could ever make the red lines of Labour and Conservative produce a 3D version of Brexit. Mrs May has shown no inclination to shift her red lines even when she is told in no uncertain manner by both parliament and the EU that the answer is no. The government team then try again with the aid of a thesaurus to find some new phrases for existing red lines and an inbred arrogance that totally irritates the EU leaders and negotiators. Time is running out to organise a confirmatory vote before the end of October so parliament may have to choose between revoking article 50 or a no deal Brexit. In which case the past three years will have been wasted when so many issues of the economy and inequalities should have been addressed. The Tory Party should be embarrassed and humiliated by their machinations but they persist with the illusion that they are the victims of continental peevishness.

So there is to be a vote in two weeks time on a 'bold new deal' that has already been rejected three times, although it will be spun to sound like a more substantial package. It is unlikely to be supported by Parliament although Mrs May will probably attempt to have a confirmatory people's vote rejected at the same time. Mrs May will then resign and we will be able to watch the Tory party elect a new leader and wannabe prime minister. The field does not look to have any pedigree of statesmanship and the ageing right-wing members of the party will probably select someone like Boris Johnson who will want to start negotiations again or artlessly attempt to manoeuvre us towards a no deal Brexit. This will be justified on the back of a stellar performance by the Brexit party at the European elections next week.

What a tragic mess we are in, and we will not be going anywhere soon with Boris Johnson at the wheel and Jeremy Corbyn dropping the anchor. The metaphor of the UK coming last in the European song contest and British Steel about to go bust because of Brexit is a timely reminder that both the service and manufacturing sectors are going down the tubes. Still, the usual suspects in the media will tell us that there are 4 English football teams in the two European Finals so that should show the pesky Europeans that we are winners.