In the realm of contemporary politics, I must confess to confusing David Davis and Lord Frost. It may be my mind’s refusal to accept that Nature could permit such a waste of space as to suffer two such grey and uninteresting men of such dismal incompetence to exist simutaneously, or my incredulity that there could … Continue reading “Remainers’ Brexit”? he’s right, you know!
Tag: Brexit
Hijacking the common speech: A bad deal is better than a worse one, but no deal is better than both.
The use and abuse of language has been critical to the continuing political crisis initiated by David Cameron's ill-judged and badly-executed attempt to stem the flow of votes from his party to UKIP in the 2015 General Election. Recently I remarked on how 'just get on with it' and kindred expressions had been subverted to … Continue reading Hijacking the common speech: A bad deal is better than a worse one, but no deal is better than both.
This way to the oligarchy
An odd collocation: I came home from a visit to Stanley Mills to find that Dominic Cummings had said he wanted to ‘get away from rich remainers’ and ‘talk to ordinary people.’ As many were quick to point out, Cummings himself is exceedingly wealthy, as are his closest allies in the Brexit camp; so this … Continue reading This way to the oligarchy
If what they say is true, then how did we get here?
A useful test is to ask whether the account that people give of events is consistent with the events themselves. If it were really the case that in the 2016 referendum ‘the country voted overwhelmingly to leave’ (to quote the chronically untruthful Bernard Jenkin, MP*) is that at all consistent with the point we have now … Continue reading If what they say is true, then how did we get here?
Ow! yaroo! Stop it, you beasts!
I have remarked before that the level at which Boris Johnson operates – and those about him – is ‘school debating society’. That is why the majority of EU politicians, who are serious-minded, grown-up types who see politics in terms of public service (as we once did in this country) cannot comprehend him. Today’s proroguing … Continue reading Ow! yaroo! Stop it, you beasts!
Time to stop this ‘Carry on’
Careless talk, as the war time poster tells us, costs lives. It may not have reached that point yet, but there is no doubt that what the Prime Minister sloppily calls ‘the Brexit process’ has been bedevilled from the outset by much talk that is careless and some that is down right lying. And as … Continue reading Time to stop this ‘Carry on’
Brexit? it’s just a flesh wound!
I am grateful to my wife for drawing attention to this article by Giles Fraser, 'why won't Remainers talk about family?' , even if reading it did take me back to my days marking essays by adolescents whose ardour outstripped their capacity for reasoned argument: having conceived a notion, and decided that it must be right, … Continue reading Brexit? it’s just a flesh wound!
A tissue of misinformation, non sequiturs and falsehoods, brought to you by HM government
In signing this petition (and I would urge you all to follow suit) https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/235138 I came across this extraordinary response, date 30 January and purporting to come from HM Government, though the fact that almost all the arguments it contains have been heard repeatedly before that date in the mouths of Jacob Rees-Mogg and his … Continue reading A tissue of misinformation, non sequiturs and falsehoods, brought to you by HM government
Was there ever such a fine piece of nonsense?
I am grateful to Caroline Flint MP for providing such a clear and succinct statement of the nonsensical 'second referendum = betrayal of democracy' argument that we hear so often. Pause this clip after the opening sentence and ask yourself what exactly she is saying https://www.facebook.com/Channel4News/videos/297638354287769/?t=73 "The breakdown of trust in politics if we … Continue reading Was there ever such a fine piece of nonsense?
The danger of licensing ignorance
Suella Braverman is not someone I had heard of (and I doubt if I shall hear of her again) but I am grateful to her for a classic instance of the besetting sin of our age – licensing ignorance. Ms Braverman popped up the other day on the Today programme, just after John Major had … Continue reading The danger of licensing ignorance
COMPLEAT TROWZER 