Let me propose a thought that Cameron is and was a coward in 2013 in promising a referendum on the EU in the middle of austerity and the probability that he would lose the 2015 elections. In 2016 when a referendum was inevitable there was no concern about the consequences of a Leave vote. No requirement for a 67% majority to Leave. No votes for the British people living in the EU, who could vote in our general elections. No votes for 16-18 years old despite Article 50 requirement of two years negotiations. Jacob Rees-Mogg and the ERG had Cameron in a head lock.i agree that BoJo would have swung it if he was not totally concerned with becoming PM. No one ever underestimated Boris in pursuit of his own interests. Then they found Dominick Cummings, who capacity to win by cheating, telling untruths and whatever skulduggery he could muster left nothing to be desired. You may remember how little Farage and Aaron Hunt played in the press but somehow £7 million was spent on advertising, and £450,000 was forwarded to the DUP in Northern Ireland to pay for advertising in England. To this day no one knows where that money came from. The people of NI knew that the EU was an essential part of their economy and voted Remain. If only the numbskulls in England had the same political nous we would still be in the EU.
Lots to unpack here! But I’ll choose just one: the amendment to the Scotland Act 1978 adding the requirement that the referendum had to be approved by 50% of the registered electorate as well as a simple majority. Agree or disagree, it was a lesson in the exercise of power.
Problem being that Labour, my party, is now run by apparatchiks and slightly-used technocrats with less vision than a squashed slug. And who are also terrified of upsetting the former Red Wall, today's Reform-lite. Starmer's major mistake was bringing all his Opposition mates into government, which requires a totally different mind-set. And until he wields the knife and tames the Treasury, he'll fall further behind.
I do hope Starmer reads your Lines…
Let me propose a thought that Cameron is and was a coward in 2013 in promising a referendum on the EU in the middle of austerity and the probability that he would lose the 2015 elections. In 2016 when a referendum was inevitable there was no concern about the consequences of a Leave vote. No requirement for a 67% majority to Leave. No votes for the British people living in the EU, who could vote in our general elections. No votes for 16-18 years old despite Article 50 requirement of two years negotiations. Jacob Rees-Mogg and the ERG had Cameron in a head lock.i agree that BoJo would have swung it if he was not totally concerned with becoming PM. No one ever underestimated Boris in pursuit of his own interests. Then they found Dominick Cummings, who capacity to win by cheating, telling untruths and whatever skulduggery he could muster left nothing to be desired. You may remember how little Farage and Aaron Hunt played in the press but somehow £7 million was spent on advertising, and £450,000 was forwarded to the DUP in Northern Ireland to pay for advertising in England. To this day no one knows where that money came from. The people of NI knew that the EU was an essential part of their economy and voted Remain. If only the numbskulls in England had the same political nous we would still be in the EU.
Lots to unpack here! But I’ll choose just one: the amendment to the Scotland Act 1978 adding the requirement that the referendum had to be approved by 50% of the registered electorate as well as a simple majority. Agree or disagree, it was a lesson in the exercise of power.
Problem being that Labour, my party, is now run by apparatchiks and slightly-used technocrats with less vision than a squashed slug. And who are also terrified of upsetting the former Red Wall, today's Reform-lite. Starmer's major mistake was bringing all his Opposition mates into government, which requires a totally different mind-set. And until he wields the knife and tames the Treasury, he'll fall further behind.
What changes would you like to see at HMT?