Thursday 15 July 2021

Brexit Board Game

3 comments:

Neil Welton said...

We've heard a lot lately, some would say too much, from those Nationalist Socialists in Scotland, Wales and Southern Ireland. When they are not moaning about Brexit or the response to the Coronavirus pandemic, they are demanding even more devolution, the federalisation of the United Kingdom, and even Scottish and Welsh independence. Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! All leading to that Hard Left Socialist Catholic utopia of Britain in the EU with the unification of Ireland to boot. Whatever it is these Nationalist Socialists do want, I do wish they would make their mind up. Not that it will make any difference. For Boris Johnson has recently announced there will not be another Scottish independence referendum until about 2060 or thereabouts. By which time most current advocates of Scottish and Welsh independence will be pushing up the daisies. Or muttering something quite incoherent and indecipherable in a care home. As most Welsh speakers do this anyway, will anyone notice the difference? As one influential backbench Tory MP said to me recently: "Mark my words, Neil. After the events of recent years. There are not going to be and there never will be any more referendums." Such fighting talk and he is most probably right. After all the one thing the powerful hate most is losing control of power or, more accurately, losing the narrative of power. Indeed gone are the days when you could offer a referendum because you knew you would win it. The Brexit vote has put pay to that. For the idea of a racing certainty is now as dead as a nag at The Chair on Grand National Day. Not that this will stop Nationalist Socialists from arguing for or calling for more referendums. Quite right too. For in a democracy this is how it should be. Just as long as you accept (and also respect) the result of referendums we already have had. The fact I have to state this fact says a lot about the damage Continental style referendums have done to the concept of English democracy. Dare I say the British psyche itself. For rather than boost and enhance the British way of life, referendums have worked to weaken and undermine it. Some would say destroy it. Just ask Remainers. Indeed as a very wise man once said: "One of the problems with holding a referendum is that it allows the local village idiot to take centre stage." Thankfully I quite agree. Though I must admit I still see very little sign here in Britain of democratic votes being respected. In a way Nationalist Socialists are a little bit like children who, after losing at their favourite board game 'Snakes And Ladders The Brexit Edition', proceed to scream, shout and stamp their feet. They demand the board game be played again and again until they get the result they want. The result in which they win. If only real life was like that. Indeed it reveals rather a lot about modern day politicians, and the sort of lives they have led, that they can't live any more if someone says "No" to them.

Neil Welton said...

When politicians were told in General Election 2019 (by the electorate no less), that we will not be playing the Brexit board game again and that we're putting away all the counters in the box, they have erupted into barely disguised fury. The board game and counters have not only been thrown into the air but, like most six-year-old children, they are now trying to wreck the house we live in. The Constitutional curtains have been ripped and torn off the rails, marker pen ink has been scrawled up the walls in protest and rage, and Mummy and Daddy have even been threatened with nastiness if we don't do as we are told. Play that board game again or else and, when you do, make sure the dice is loaded, the other players are handicapped, and that all those nasty Snakes who do things we don't like are removed. I think the Snakes are called Brexit supporters. Any old excuse is given to run the referendum again. Indeed don't give me this nonsense about how people in Scotland, when voting on Scottish independence in 2014, did not know anything about Brexit. What a lot of Hogmanay Haggis Hogwash! For they did. For they conveniently forget David Cameron announced we would be having a referendum on Brexit a year earlier in 2013. Therefore please do keep up. Thirty years ago Elton John sang: "Sorry seems to be the hardest word." He was wrong. In modern times the hardest word seems to be "No". Especially when it is spoken by the electorate. However this does not mean we should not listen much more to Scottish, Welsh and southern Irish Nationalist Socialists. For they've been telling me recently 52% is not big enough for huge constitutional change. They tell me it should be nearer 75%. I therefore now agree. They also say that in order to ratify constitutional change after a referendum you need a large majority in the Commons, in the Lords, and in The Supreme Court. I now agree. Not only that but they also tell me we need large super majorities in the three devolved authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland before we can have such big constitutional change. As of today I completely agree.

Neil Welton said...

When Tony Blair set up the devolved authorities he told us they would be nothing more than "glorified local councils". In a way he was right. For if you were to televise the proceedings of your local council they would probably get the same viewing figures. Perhaps even more. I kid you not. Let's face it. When confronted with the pressing issues of our age (like Brexit, 12.5% pay rises for NHS staff, and wanting serious big investment in our regions) the Welsh devolved authority, for example, is completely powerless. Not so much a fire breathing dragon as a toothless fat pussy waiting for its belly to be tickled. Indeed the only benefit of devolution is that it has resulted in the near collapse of The Labour Party across the United Kingdom. For the more the public see of Labour in action, the less inclined they are to vote for it. Anyway talking of the fat and toothless (and largely chinless thanks to their diet) have you noticed how those in politics in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland like nothing more than giving buildings, organisations and individuals grandiose titles. You could say The Egos Have Landed. Therefore not to be outdone, I thought I too would get in on this act. For an act it surely is. Especially when one considers "the massive reversal of devolution" (their words, not mine) which has taken place since Brexit. A Brexit I helped to bring about in Wales. I would therefore like in future to be known by my new, full and proper title. The Father Of Modern Wales. Shucks. How grand is that. I must admit now it has a certain ring to it. It is also going to make a change from being called "Welton You Cult" by passing motorists whenever I'm in Cardiff. (Me? A cult figure? Who knew?) It's also going to take some getting use to being called The Father Of Modern Wales. So feel free to call me something else instead. Like Papa Wales. Not to be confused with Papa Smurf. For that title has been taken already. By Dr Rowan Williams. No less.