By Dawn M. Sanders
With all the botched handlings of Brexit and trying to get a bad deal through that would never satisfy pro-leave or pro-remain supporters when it comes to exiting the EU, not to mention the shabby way this government has handled domestic issues such as benefits cuts, the amount of people now using food banks, the Grenfell Tower fire, cuts in public services, an ailing NHS and the list goes on. Any opposition party should have capitalised on the failings of the Tories.
With the all-prevailing issue of Brexit over-stepping or more accurately, in tandem with domestic worries, it was naturally predicted to be an annihilation of Tories on council seats. The annihilation happened, to the tune of them losing over 1,300 seats – amounting to losing control of 45 councils.
Despite defeats for both main political parties, the above article highlights the Foreign Secretary’s and Shadow Chancellor’s short sightedness in surmising the results were the voters simplistically saying, ‘sort Brexit’ but no it’s about democracy, stupid…
As a member of the Labour party, it was all too easy to think, ‘this is it, here’s our chance’ but hang on, Jeremy Corbyn kept ping-ponging on whether or not there should or could be a second referendum, which is the growing appetite of the party and large swathes of the country.
For those of us who know the realities of how the electorate mind works in black and white and how one is either for or against a certain key and defining set of policies, Brexit in this case – the most polarising dilemma in peace time British history, a leader cannot say: “We’ll implement this, but only if that or the other happens.”
So, the bloody nose delivered to Labour in the local elections can only amount to an ‘I told you so’ sigh of utter frustration.
It is only those of us who can be bothered to analyse Corbyn’s logic and clumsy strategy, who might be willing to grant him patience against a backdrop of growing dissatisfaction of his leadership.
Whereas, other more outright pro-remain parties have just said, ‘yes, lets have another people’s vote and get on with it – because these smaller often more pragmatic parties know people just want it kept simple, clear and decisive.
The lack of clarity and hope to please both brexiteers and Remainers has severely bruised Labours chances of success in a general election.
As it was rightfully pointed out the other day by a news commentator – if it was a general election, it would have been hung, yes in several directions.
For all of my support and respect of Corbyn, I now am losing patience and think he is obstructing the opportunity to make real headway and the change that is so desperately needed.
Okay, so Labour didn’t lose as many seats or councils as the Tories i.e. 63 seats amounting to 4 councils (according to the Guardian article above) but the party is losing members and credibility.
It’s getting harder to justify or argue his position, when actually it’s becoming down right embarrassing.
The EU elections are another kettle of fish, but could still result in a patchwork of agendas and ideologies.
The Tories will be annihilated there again, because they don’t want to stand members of European Parliament (MEP’s) in the first place.
I am much less clued up on the European elections, so I won’t elaborate here, but from what I have gathered on my close monitoring of the whole heaving mess, is the Conservative possibles for MEP will be hardcore Brexiteers who would seek to create as much disruption as they can muster along with Nigel Farage’ creation, the Brexit party.
The coming weeks could be seismic, but because the British don’t do Greek-style revolts or even French-style rebellions, it will be a slow but deliberate earthquake on the landscape of British politics.
© 2019