The Brexit Chronicles

"Oh God! Oh Jesus Christ!"

Published on December the 12th, 2019. 21.55.

"Oh God! Oh Jesus Christ!" - screamed by Sergeant Howie (played by Edward Woodward) upon discovering his fate in the The Wicker Man. (1973)

21.55. The dread day has come, and is now all but over, marked as it was by an incessant heavy downpour reflecting the nation's drained ennui with the entire electoral process. As I went about my day I wondered how many of the people I passed by had or were yet to deliberately vote to make the lives of their fellow citizens a misery, or if the fact they were doing so even registered in their minds as they cast their ballots. However they voted, we shall know the outcome when the counts begin shortly at 22.00.

22.00. With the closing of the polls the exit surveys are permitted to be revealed. God help us all they predict a Tory majority of 86 seats as well as the rout of the Labour Party. So it seems we'll get Boris' botched BRINO after all.

23.30. As the first result is declared, the first of many dominoes falls. The formerly staunch Labour seat of Blyth Valley has been taken by the Tories.

Friday, December the 13th. 05.00.

"Today they are ringing the bells; tomorrow they'll  be wringing their hands." Robert Walpole.

After a night of high political drama this morning is dawning a dark one which heralds a far darker age to come for society's marginalised groups and anyone who believes in social justice. The declared results are broadly in line with the projections, with the Tories currently expected to have a 76 seat majority. The Lib-Dem leader Jo Swinson who would have abrogated Article 50 has lost her seat, while Jeremy Corbyn presides for the moment over the ruins of his party, their defeat a direct consequence of his poor leadership and allowing the parliamentary obstructionist tactics of Hilary Benn (sadly re-elected but his majority cut by half) to frustrate Brexit. It was Corbyn who chose to set Labour against the tide of history and look where it has got them now!

The Brexit issue is obviously a major part of what led to Labour's downfall as well as the Tories' triumph. Though the rubble from this second great political earthquake in a few years is still falling and shifting, already the pundits are speculating the size of BoJo's mandate will give him the ability to negotiate a 'softer' post-exit trade arrangement with the EU. As for the Withdrawal Agreement, it will be resubmitted to the reconstituted Commons in a week's time, with the aim of rushing the legislation through in time for a January the 31st departure. With the opposition being so thoroughly trounced there is no prospect of any further rearguard delaying action, so the Bill is likely to pass at this attempt.

So it would appear that in this 'People's Vote' the People have spoken, and their will is for the decision they took three and a half years ago to be honoured in some diluted form. We shall escape the clutches of the EU, but in doing so cast ourselves into the hands of a government which despite its protestations at being 'one nation conservatives' will exact a heavy toll upon us all.