Historians, who by the nature of their profession judge the actions of the past with the insightful wisdom of hindsight, state that there are some conflicts in which the belligerents can be said to have “taken a break” between events. Examples cited are the first and second English civil wars and the fist and second world wars. We do not dispute this. Clearly, the first conflict can bring about unresolved issues that cause or affect the second conflict.
Elections of course are conflicts – conflicts of ideologies and political ambitions that are fought at the polling station with ballot papers and ballot boxes and not on the battlefield with rifles and bullets. As with the more violent wars, some “conflicts” can said to sow the seeds of future conflicts. And so it appears to have been with the EU Referendum called by the Unfortunate Chameleon that resulted in his most public falling on his sword outside 10 Downing Street on Midsummer’s Day 2016.
The current tenant of 10 Downing Street, narrowly escaping a notice of eviction on Thursday, Madame Mayhem must surely be in the running for a gold medal in the World Chutzpah Championships for her statement (words for the competition in bold):
“Having secured the largest number of votes and the greatest number of seats in the general election”, our old-new prime minister told us that, “it is clear that only the Conservative and Unionist party has the legitimacy and ability to provide that certainty by commanding a majority in the House of Commons”.
Of course, the media pundits are falling over themselves to provide an explanation.
That explanation however is clear to any person who has actual practical first hand experience of being involved in electioneering. They will know that many voters do transfer their vote from one party to another. They also realise that there are many voters who are predisposed to vote a certain way and are certain NOT to change – BUT what is NOT certain is whether or not these people will actually vote on the day.
It was this last aspect of voter, or non voter behaviour that determined the result of the Brexit referendum. During the campaign the Remainers (Pro EU Tories and Labour) and the Remainiacs (Lib-Dems and SNP) were fully aware that the predominantly Europhile 18 to 24 demographic were less likely to vote than the predominantly Euroskeptic 55+ demographic. As a result they tried hard to motivate this group to turn out and vote. That these efforts failed delivered the Brexit vote.
We all witnessed the results in the immediate aftermath when so many of the 18 to 24 years olds most publicly displayed their distress at the result. What happened on Thursday was a case of these youngsters responding positively to the promises of Comrade Corbyn to cancel their student debts. This is something our American friends call “pork barrel politics”.
NB: Insofar as many Labour politicians and activists are Muslim, your Editor has probably committed the criminal offence of religiously-aggravated harassment by using the above American term in relation to the party of which they are a member.
Time will tell whether or not this new found enthusiasm for visiting the polling station will last or be transmitted to today’s teenagers.
Clearly, IF the Europhiles amongst the new cohort of MPs succeed in securing a second Brexit referendum, there can be little doubt of the result!
Of course, Frau Doktor Merkel is fully aware of this!
Which of course is why the EU is insisting that the terms of the divorce settlement and it’s attendant bill (£100 billion?) is settled BEFORE the so-called “trade deal.”
You see, the pressure on the MPs to make acceptance of any terms and trade deal conditional on a referendum will be overwhelming.
There is little doubt that the EU would want this!
We already know the EU’s attitude towards referendums!
If the people vote the “wrong way”, another referendum is held to give the people the opportunity to vote the “right way”!
Speaking the Truth unto the Nation
