Yesterday was a monumental day. As observers have concluded - the day Parliament reasserted itself. So why is that not a good thing? The simple reason :-
1) Parliament voted overwhelmingly to give the people a democratic vote to determine the binary choice - leave or stay in the EU.
2) Leave was understood by everyone to mean - to take back control of our laws, money and borders and to be able to trade freely with the rest of the world on our own terms.
3) A majority of MP's do not like the decision of the people.
4) MP's are now playing fast and loose with the democratic decision of the people. Outcomes yesterday gives them far more scope to do so and the guise of the sovereignty of parliament above the people.
DANGER WARNING
People say our country is divided. If a proper Brexit is not delivered by MP's because they have usurped the decision they gave to the people I fear we will see what divided really means.
From here on in it will be a hollow call that we are a democratic country. From here on in we will be unable to say democracy is paramount and we must respect it.
From here on in people will be able to say democracy has been undermined by MP's - the establishment - the media - the powerful for their own agenda or because they think they know best.
From here on in people will be able to say their vote does not matter.
The conclusion - why support - why defend the democratic principal if our vote does not matter?
They are right. Democracy can be seen to no longer work. What is the point of voting? From now on vote losers will be able to say - why do I have to accept the decision? It doesn't suit me - I will ignore it. There is a monumental precedent for their action - the Brexit vote (the largest democratic turnout ever in the UK) - the democratic decision of the people to properly leave was ignored - overturned by the establishment.
So what happens to a society where the principal of democracy is no longer accepted as sacrosanct by the people?
What happens to a society where the people believe they can no longer trust the ballot box to bring about the change they have voted for?
The answer
POPULISM or ANARCHY
MP's are now going to spend 4 or 5 days in debate about the type of Brexit they want - or in many cases why Brexit should be overturned.
What they are really discussing is the way they are going to trash our democracy for generations.
I really fear it is going to end badly for this country - because if you do not have democracy what do you have to hold it together?
Don't be surprised if populist anti establishment politics really begins to get hold both on the left and particularly the right. Don't expect it to be through the legitimacy of the ballot box.
Don't be surprised if our own version of Gilet Jaune emerges.
We have seen riots before in this country - it is never far away - but we have always been able to point to the legitimacy of the ballot box as a defence. We will no longer be able to do that. Take to the streets to bring about change could easily be the call to which people respond. Who could blame them? Their vote no longer counts.
FOOTNOTE
1) Parliament voted overwhelmingly to give the people a democratic vote to determine the binary choice - leave or stay in the EU.
2) Leave was understood by everyone to mean - to take back control of our laws, money and borders and to be able to trade freely with the rest of the world on our own terms.
3) A majority of MP's do not like the decision of the people.
4) MP's are now playing fast and loose with the democratic decision of the people. Outcomes yesterday gives them far more scope to do so and the guise of the sovereignty of parliament above the people.
DANGER WARNING
People say our country is divided. If a proper Brexit is not delivered by MP's because they have usurped the decision they gave to the people I fear we will see what divided really means.
From here on in it will be a hollow call that we are a democratic country. From here on in we will be unable to say democracy is paramount and we must respect it.
From here on in people will be able to say democracy has been undermined by MP's - the establishment - the media - the powerful for their own agenda or because they think they know best.
From here on in people will be able to say their vote does not matter.
The conclusion - why support - why defend the democratic principal if our vote does not matter?
They are right. Democracy can be seen to no longer work. What is the point of voting? From now on vote losers will be able to say - why do I have to accept the decision? It doesn't suit me - I will ignore it. There is a monumental precedent for their action - the Brexit vote (the largest democratic turnout ever in the UK) - the democratic decision of the people to properly leave was ignored - overturned by the establishment.
So what happens to a society where the principal of democracy is no longer accepted as sacrosanct by the people?
What happens to a society where the people believe they can no longer trust the ballot box to bring about the change they have voted for?
The answer
POPULISM or ANARCHY
MP's are now going to spend 4 or 5 days in debate about the type of Brexit they want - or in many cases why Brexit should be overturned.
What they are really discussing is the way they are going to trash our democracy for generations.
I really fear it is going to end badly for this country - because if you do not have democracy what do you have to hold it together?
Don't be surprised if populist anti establishment politics really begins to get hold both on the left and particularly the right. Don't expect it to be through the legitimacy of the ballot box.
Don't be surprised if our own version of Gilet Jaune emerges.
We have seen riots before in this country - it is never far away - but we have always been able to point to the legitimacy of the ballot box as a defence. We will no longer be able to do that. Take to the streets to bring about change could easily be the call to which people respond. Who could blame them? Their vote no longer counts.
FOOTNOTE
- I despair at people like Dominic Grieve. He cannot see the wood for the trees. Democracy is a simple concept - easily understood. One man one vote. There is a proposition. It is voted on. The outcome is decided by the most votes. That is democracy. Parliament deferred to the people by a massive vote to grant the referendum. He is NOT upholding democracy - the complete opposite and it is so damaging.
- I am sickened by people like Anna Soubry. She claims she is a democrat. She is not because she has not supported the decision of the people - worst she has sought to undermine it. Her mantra is she knows best. She believes GDP and money is more important than democracy.
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