Base Brexit Decision on Fact, Not Lies

Base Brexit decision on facts

Let’s stay in the EU for now. Howls of derision/aggression and roars of approval/support burst out with equal energy. Talk about a balanced debate and critical thinking. Welters of emotion accompany polarised positions. There’s a real risk of damage if we don’t calm down before making our Brexit decision

What am I saying?

The Daily Politics show on the BBC at lunchtime today (11th December 2018) crystallized the Brexit decision for me. We’d be insane to step off the cliff just now. Better to pull Article 50 and start again.

How irritated are we?

What benefits will we gain from such diverse, divided and emotional opinions? How do these enrich the debate?

Today, the composition o the experts included:  

• A right-wing, I-don’t-care-about-the-Irish-border Conservative MP who kind of likes the idea of the EU getting a ‘bloody-nose’
• An I’m-for-Theresa-May’s-plan (but not maybe as PM anymore), Conservative MP
• A senior Labour MP, towing the party line, until the right moment to act (whatever that means)
• A right-wing (Brexit favouring) journalist
• A former LibDem MP, (remain favouring) journalist
• A recent Cabinet resigner, Conservative MP
• An SNP MP who wants Labour to call a vote of no confidence in the government

Talk about herding cats to reach a Brexit decision

Anger, contention, posturing, annoyance, polarization, dispute, cagey laughter, contempt … all fomenting a debate where the only certainty is… nothing is certain. Above all, politicians seldom know what they are talking about, but still express their views with authority, faux expertise and passion.

All agreed the PM has kicked the can down the road again. Some fear she aims to get the UK to the cliff edge and make it my way or we-die-way. Ms May didn’t come out of the chat well.

Angry or what?

The risk of public rage in the streets provided rationales for:

• no deal
• Norwegian style deal
• PM’s pact under negotiation
• killing the backstop
• reinforcing the backstop
• keeping the £39 billion
• doing what is right
• finagling a general election

CAN CITIZENS QUELL their justified anger and irritation for a moment and consider reality? I believe so. Our people are much more sensible than our politicians care to believe … hopefully we’ll see a constructive use of citizen power before too long. Perhaps some extremist gangs will riot after such an ignorant invitation from some politicians.

Abyss awaits

HERE WE ARE, teetering on the brink of an abyss of unknown depth. Our leaders in their kamikaze-like rush to conflict and division are an embarrassment.

Reality?

There are facts to face. Our politicians don’t know what we’re going to get. Brexit is about Brexit, not about better lives, prosperity or an ever more secure future. They simply can’t say. Apart from shielding offshore trusts from an EU tax crackdown.

Goals? What about:

• no hungry children
• educational and training opportunities for all
• trustworthy information for all
• food-banks not needed
• no hostile environment action against anyone
• general prosperity
• plenty of police
• plenty of NHS
• a land of human decency
• a land where greed doesn’t trump everything else (and doesn’t get elected)
• add your own

No one really knows what’ll happen, no government minister, no opposition dignitary, no angry citizen, no SNP, no Unionist, no Bankers and none of the get-on-with-it brigade. Yet here we stand ready to commit to our future on the word of dishonest and/or inept politicians.

And the biggie …

Do aggressive, knee-jerking factions, baying at each other make a sound Brexit decision likely? Where will some voices, wallowing in the prejudices and fantasy of a bygone empire really take us? 

Have we a truly formidable and competent leadership at Westminster? Are they self or citizen-serving? Do they always tell the truth? A country is known by the people it picks.

Choice

If your answers make you unhappy, there is only one thing to do: stay in the EU for now, and get our act together (aspirations, thinking, truthfulness, government, etc…). Then take our time making sure our Brexit decision helps us become what we want to be and builds a legacy fit for our children.

© Mac Logan