Two things inspired this article. One, Corbyn and Barry Gardiner’s suddenly fierce Euroscepticism being given a free voice (and the subsequent kickback from numerous figures within Labour as a result) and two, an article in the Spectator by Ed West entitled “I’m a Leaver who would be happy for a second referendum“. They are perfect examples of the poles which are now changing and in many ways inverting the debate around Brexit.
On the Left, there is a train of thought that goes something like this: Jeremy is just faking with his pro-Brexit stuff; he is saying what he needs to in order to keep the UKIPy voters happy, so that Labour can win an election, and once that happens, Corbyn will drop Brexit completely and we’ll stay in the EU. This has become an increasingly ridiculous position to defend. It is clear to anyone remotely objective that Corbyn is exercising his long held Euroscepticism with the following plan in mind: the Tories blow apart over Brexit, leading to a Labour election victory; at that point, however, we’ll be out of the EU and able to not be held back by Brussels rules about anything from State Aid to property rights in constructing EngSoc, the 21st century version.
Some people on the Right, like Ed West, have cordoned onto this scheme at long last. “If history is indeed one great black comedy then I appreciate this one, even if it’s on us. So if Brexit does indeed lead to economic crisis and Corbyn is swept to power for ten years, we’ll end up relying on a UK En Marche to beg our way back into the EU to save us from Communism,” West writes in the Spectator. Some Eurosceptics on the Right are absorbing the fact that Brexit could indeed be the route to some suicidal left-wing policy making that membership of the EU wouldn’t allow. I have long argued that it is much easier to make Eurosceptic arguments from the left as opposed to the right; the EU is mostly a free-trade capitalist project, after all. Constructing a truly socialist society from within the confines of EU membership would be next to impossible – and Corbyn and McDonnell have long known this.
Ed West goes on to say: “I voted Leave but if it looks like clearly being an economic disaster, then it’s ridiculous to pursue it whatever the cost. In no field does someone continue along the same course, knowing it will end in complete failure, whatever the consequences.” This throws up an interesting viewpoint, again, one I have long argued: there is nothing I can think of less conservative than leaving the EU with no deal. We can have an argument about whether Britain would come out better, worse and about the same; what you cannot argue is that such a manoeuvre wouldn’t represent massive change for Britain. Again, I thought that was what conservatism existed to be against.
What all of this makes me wonder is will the Left turn pro-Brexit once they absorb the fact fully that Jeremy isn’t faking his Euroscepticism? On the flipside, will there be more Ed West’s coming out of the woodwork, those on the Right who have figured out that if Brexit is going to be a car crash it should not be pursued at all costs, and further that the argument that David Cameron should have made for Remaining but didn’t, namely that we should stay in the EU for conservative reasons, should now come to the fore?
I look forward to seeing where this all leads to. May you live in interesting times indeed.
In UK politics the Maoists are taking over the asylum. For Gove, Corbyn, Fox, Gardiner, Grayling, McDonnell and a sad litany of others, destruction is good, experts need to be re-educated.
The issue I would like Nick Tyrone to consider is the public reaction. There seems to be a parallel between Brexit and Trump: both are being exposed and ridiculed; their popularity however, though on the wane is not receding as rapidly as might be expected from how events are unfolding. I feel you see this and it understandably leads to a sense of exasperation in your articles
Between the Conservative government, the EU with its 27 member states and the UK economy something has to give and it is not at all likely to be the EU, In these circumstances, we usually expect reality to prescribe the outcome and at some point I must suppose it will, but I am left wondering what has to happen before there is strong reaction to Brexit.
Arguing against Brexit based on using EU membership as a crafty means to stop something or other – in this case ‘socialism’ – is a poor argument for remaining in the EU. Essentially, this implies allowing a third party – the EU – to frustrate the democratically expressed wishes of the British people at an election (or referendum?) in case they vote for a programme or policy that doesn’t suit: “Sorry, we can’t do that, the EU doesn’t allow it.”
By the same token, in the mid to late 1970s, a minority of Conservatives – often in business – came round to electoral reform as a means of watering down radical socialist policies emanating from Labour governments elected on, perhaps, barely 40% of the popular vote. A simpler and more direct solution to ‘stopping socialism’ was found by voting for Mrs Thatcher in May 1979. As Mr Churchill said, the maxim should always be: “Trust the people.”
I think you are on to something. Corbyn and cronies resent the EU for being some kind of gigantic capitalist club, inimical with his vision of socialism. As it becomes increasingly evident that Brexit will be a disaster more will change their minds. I suspect David Davis has probably changed his already. One can only hope that a combination of cross party remainers will stop the juggernaut from driving over the precipice
The ultra-rightwing media might need to come round first, but I too am amazed public opinion hasn’t shifted more substantially, on Brexit and Trump.
Remember the public still read the right wing press. Until this press comes to recognise the Brexit disaster the public will be slow to change, but it will happen.
The trouble is, people like Ed West and even Dominic Cummings now bleating about how leaving is a bad idea because it looks like a bunch of chimps would be better at negotiating than the Tory Brexit team… well who couldn’t see that was going to happen from the start? There was no plan at all, how could it not go wrong? Clearly, Brexit was going to tank the economy. Clearly Vote Leave’s campaign was a dreadful pack of lies (as was some of Remain’s). Anyone with any sense could have predicted this was going to be a bag of crap from the start.
And read the Communist Manifesto, please. That Corbyn and McDonald are intending on a full on communist state is Daily Mail rubbish. Most of the country supports nationalising the trains etc.