Life After Brexit
After four months of relentless propaganda ‘spewed out’ by both sides is it any wonder that the ‘Great British Public’ is reeling from this onslaught. Frankly, the campaign was far too long and will undoubtedly have cost this country a huge amount in stalled and postponed transactions and lack of positive decision-making.
The governments ‘Remain’ tactics were far too brutal and negative and sadly, this is going to make the pain deeper and the recovery longer.
David Cameron ‘fell on his sword’ in a dignified fashion and he should be given the credit for this. It was a noble ending to a very competent Prime Ministerial term. However, Mr. Osborne’s antics are far less credit worthy. Instead of standing up and defending the economy and Sterling on the day after the Referendum, he went ‘AWOL’ until Monday morning and common sense dictates that over the weekend he was trying to secure his future by supporting whichever administration will give him the best job rather than calming the fears of the nation at a momentous time. Why let inflamed sentiments fester over the weekend? Only three days ago he was threatening an emergency Budget with raised taxes, reduced borrowings and the threat of a recession, yet all of this has mysteriously vanished as if by magic. Abracadabra and it’s gone you could say!
A national newspaper reported that ‘David Cameron was dismayed at the inappropriateness of Osborne ‘s tactics’. He was the architect of this relentless, negative propaganda campaign that made everyone, on both sides of the argument, feel depressed and it is no wonder that former ‘Remain’ voters feel so upset and disillusioned.
If you ignore the unfortunate and co-incidental interest of the ‘right wingers’ of UKIP (if you can) the ‘Leave’ campaign extolled the positive virtues of being out of Europe which had a far less traumatic effect.
Even the senior politician in the German government has made certain conciliatory statements about how Britain could still be part of the Tariff-Free Trading Block providing we concede to a few payments and some restrictions on immigration. This is a very good starting point for a negotiation since we could be in the ‘best of all worlds’ free of all the interference and bureaucracy of Brussels but still able to trade successfully with Europe – what a result.
Given the parlous state of the Labour opposition, the government should be in a good position to take on the challenges that will undoubtedly be encountered as the UK makes headway with its new independent status in the world.
Before we erroneously consider Brexit as a typically British problem, lets look at the forces of Euro-scepticism across the European continent should they consult their populace as to the merits of continued integration into Europe: Germany (48% leavers), France (61% leavers), Spain (49% leavers), Denmark (53% leavers), Greece (71% leavers). Clearly the majority of Europeans are greatly disenchanted by the EU and secretly covert Britain’s newfound independence.
Now that Boris has ‘bottled it’ the potential candidates for the leader of the Conservatives and the next Prime Minister, May, Gove, Fox and Cragg ‘battle it out’ for the ‘heart and soul’ of the Party .The point is that there will not be a second referendum, an emergency budget and, if Theresa May is right, we will not have a snap election.
We are where we are and we should not make any rash decisions or conclusions. Instead, let us be calm, calculated and allow events to fall into place and to recover our composure. Before long we will demonstrate, to our critics, that the UK, in its new guise, will be an enhanced proud, innovative, enterprising, and patriotic nation.
With Jeremy Corbyn still stubbornly standing against 80% of his parliamentary colleagues as the ‘Captain of the Marie Celeste,’ and, the Machiavellian convolutions of the Tory Party, if hitherto, seven days was a long time in politics then one hour is the modern days equivalent!