Friday 21 December 2018

Brexit – "Why I don’t, never have, and never will trust the people"

Matthew Parris, writing in the Spectator magazine, 15 December 2018:


This is his reason for supporting those politicians of all parties, civil servants and media persons who want to ignore the Brexit referendum result.

Mr Parris has done us a great service, as he always does, by being so clear and open. And amusing – he quotes Arthur Balfour: "I have the greatest respect for the Conservative party conference, but I would no more consult it on a matter of high policy than I would my valet".

Mr Parris has done us an even greater service by pin-pointing the mistake in this line of reasoning as it applies to Brexit.

"... at the idea that the people should dictate the policies of government on a daily basis, we shudder"?

Yes, quite right, but in this case Parliament explicitly handed the problem over to us plebs, it was up to us to solve it and our decision would be an instruction to be executed by Parliament.

We're not talking about daily plebiscites, which God forbid. We're talking about a one-off.

We're talking about Parliament making a promise (the decision is yours) and then reneging on their promise (the decision is ours). Do that, in this case, and we plebs will never trust Parliament.

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Updated later that same day

"Chary" of referendums as he was by 15 December 2018, on 20 October 2018 Mr Parris advocated ... a second referendum, please see We must march and demand to vote again.

Brexit is the enemy of his usual logical coherence.

This is not the only example. On 11 December 2018 Mr Parris told us I’m disgusted by baying mob of hypocrites attacking Theresa May:
  • Two days later on 13 December 2018: "My last encounter with [Theresa May] was not long after she became prime minister. Being regarded as a 'friendly' journalist, I was invited to Downing Street for coffee. It was appalling ... I kissed her as I left. She looked a little alarmed. But the truth is I had arrived as a supporter, and departed dismayed". (Dismayed? See what he did there?)
  • And on 14 December 2018, in Theresa May has become detached from reality: "At what point does tenacity become rigidity become mulishness become a frozen panic? ... Does she hear? Does she see? Does she know? Is there anyone at home?" Etc ...
It's a nimble reader who can keep up.

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