The Brexit Chronicles

A Very British Coup

Published on September the 4th, 2019, 18.55.

"I fear that we are rapidly headed towards a very dark place." - Nigel Farage. September the 3rd, 2019.

STOP THE COUP! read the placards on display at the anti-prorogation protests last Saturday. But which coup? For now those MPs who only a few days ago were decrying the 'constitutional outrage' that was the prorogation of a whole four days of  parliamentary business more than usual, are  themselves acting in an equally brusque and high-handed manner. Having hijacked the House of Commons timetable, they have  gone rogue, as well as mad, and even as I write are preparing to thrust the large stick of Hilary Benns No No Deal bill through the spinning spokes of Brexit.

It seems to matter not to the politicians that many of them held their seats when the EU Referendum Act was passed, and they promised to abide by the result of the plebiscite. Equally ignored is the the fact they stood at the 2017 general election pledging to respect the will of the people, and having been elected on that oath they saw through the EU Withdrawal Act. They have no mandate to act in the manner they are doing, but such is the political class' drunkenness on their new found power they even plan on withholding the consent required under the Fixed Term Parliament Act to allow the General Election so many of them have been calling for up until recently, unless Boris Johnston agrees to their wrecking bill being incorporated into law. Apparently 'Letting The People Decide' is fine, providing that whatever colour of future administration the electorate may choose finds itself permanently hamstrung and beholden to the EU. The Benn Bill is such a craven declaration of surrender that anyone connected with it - if they had a shred of honour - ought to do the decent thing and end their shameful existence by leaping into the Thames off Westminster Bridge.

No government could allow its hands to be bound by such a law, and hopefully when the Act is presented to the Queen, she will be advised not to grant it the Royal Assent, although constitutional precedent would suggest she would approve it. Alternatively Mrs Windsor might delay the signing for the moment, but feel obliged to intervene by using her Perogative to sidestep the FTPA and grant the Writ of Election in the hope what government emerges as a result will have second thoughts about submitting the Act to her, as well as some sort of plan for resolving the issue. This would amount to the Monarch becoming politicised, but these are the unprecedented times and political crisis we find ourselves in.

The trouble for many of the parliamentarians is that having finally shown themselves for what they are, the electorate clearly sees them for what they are. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes, or in charge of their security during the election campaign given the public anger simmering against them. Jo Cox's ghost stalks the Westminster corridors, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if it were to have company soon. I share Nigel Farage's forebodings; this could turn very nasty, very quickly.