The Politics of Dancing

A WARNING I am speaking directly to you tonight from 10 Downing Street to request the patience and support from you the great British people whom I know now, as so often in the past, will come together in the face of the grave national crisis we now face. For I know that only when we are united can we tackle the problems that beset us.  I know too that many of you are angry about the shortage of some medical supplies and some items of food. I share your anger. For let me be clear, this crisis is not of my making but has come about because of the intransigence of a few foreign powers, sadly assisted by some in our own country, and their refusal to allow us to depart the EU amicably. The attempt to impose heavy burdens upon our industry and commerce by the EU must and will be resisted. However, in the short term this will mean some continuing hardship, but this country did not win two world wars by being afraid of hardship and once again those who wish to defeat us will ...

History, to adapt a phrase, is what happens when you are busy making other plans. As we enter a decisive week in the whole sorry Brexit saga there are two possible scenarios, Parliament folds and we see the beginning of the decline of parliamentary democracy, or Johnson’s crude power bid is seen off and Parliament emerges both victorious and enhanced. For the Conservative party these are the end of days. Certainly, a right of centre, indeed right wing party may emerge, but it will no longer be the party of the Union, of small c conservatism, of constitutional conformity and respect for tradition. Johnson’s gamble has compromised the Queen and placed the Tory party on a collusion course with the Union. Things can never be the same again. This is no longer just about Brexit but whether the UK as currently constituted remains intact and what sort of democracy emerges if Johnson gets his way. For make no mistake, the system, as Carole Cadwalladr has made clear has, and continues to ...