More pre-Brexit musings

I have been much pr-occupied with other matters this week and haven't been able to take in a blow-by-blow account of the Brexit shenanigans.  However, there are one or two things which deserve comment.

First, I did't actually hear it, but Mrs May addressed the nation and told is that it was our   patriotic duty (my emphasis) to persuade our MPs to support her Brexit deal.  The is to turn the truth on its head.  Remember, this whole Brexit folly was instigated not in the national interest, but to protect the Tory Party from seepage  to UKIP.  So what Mrs May is really asking is  for us to help her save the Tory Party.  The national interest, as some 90% of informed opinion is now clear about, is for us to remain in the EU. And Mrs May knows that too: after all, she voted Remain.

Secondly, Mrs May claimed  that the majority of of people are now fed up with Brexit and "just want us (her?) to 'get on with it'."  Well, she may be right about both those assertions but that is not a rational basis for making the  most serious political decision of the last forty-odd  years. Even if many if not most of the public are indeed tired of the debate a true leader's duty in such circumstances is to lead and  persist in looking for the best solution for the nation and not succumb to ephemeral populism.

Thirdly there are serious calls, even from senior conservatives, for Mrs May to be replaced as prime minister.  This is completely  pointless.  The problem, that we cannot after all leave the EU and retain all the benefits of membership, that we can't " have our cake and eat it," remains the same whoever is prime minister.

Fourthly, Walter Bagehot, who more or less defined the British Constitution,  wrote  in defence of the monarchy,  that  people "love a mange more than a ministry." That's probably still true and it's quite likely that picture magazines of the Royal Family  outsell the New Statesman and  perhaps even the Spectator. What is also true is that the political class and media much prefer speculation about personalities rather than discussion of the issues (or "ishues" as the late great Tony Benn put it.)  Sadly we're now in this phase and acres of print and hours of air-time are wasted in how long Mrs May's premiership will last and whether it's Johnson (ouch), Gove, Leadsome or whoever will replace her.  This is a complete dereliction of duty at this critical time.



Finally, yesterday's march for a "People's Vote" numbered over a million.  At the same time more than 5 million (and counting) have put their names to a petition calling on MPs to Revoke Article 50.  I suspect a goodly number of the marchers now take this view too.

With a week to go it is still possible and legally practical for our MPs to cut to the quick and take this decision.  It just needs courage.