1) who are the stupid #Brexit people John?
A regular device from brexiters is to say that #PeoplesVote supporters think Leave voters were stupid
It's true that there were very many incredibly, boneshakingly dense Brexiters, but they were leading, not following
Some examples
A regular device from brexiters is to say that #PeoplesVote supporters think Leave voters were stupid
It's true that there were very many incredibly, boneshakingly dense Brexiters, but they were leading, not following
Some examples
2) Melanie Philips is a regular pro #Brexit columnist, arguing for a tough line on the EU.
This is her finding out *only last night* that we represent 10% of the EUs total exports compared to 45% of ours going to the EU
Her confused look is remarkable
This is her finding out *only last night* that we represent 10% of the EUs total exports compared to 45% of ours going to the EU
Her confused look is remarkable
3) David Davis, Brexit secretary and former EU minister, believed *even after the referendum* that we could strike illegal individual deals with Germany, France etc, something utterly forbidden under EU law
This was the basis of his Leave position
This was the basis of his Leave position
4) Dominic Raab, golden boy of #Brexit, famously didn't understand the importance of Dover-Calais. May was also apparently able to negotiate a brexit deal behind his back *whilst he was in charge of Brexit negotiations*
5) John Redwood actually believed "We should just revoke the 1973 EU act and thats the end of it". He literally stated that we could unwind 45 years of integration simply by revoking an act in parliament, the ultimate "no deal" scenario
6) the list goes on. Nadine Dorres was arguing for a hard #Brexit whilst consulting politics teachers because she didn't actually know what the Customs Union was.
buzzfeed.com/alexspence/her…
buzzfeed.com/alexspence/her…
7) the key brexiters apparently failed to grasp the true meaning of the NI backstop in December last year *whilst Theresa May was publicly arguing over the same Backstop with the DUP*
But it goes beyond #Brexit into heroic, epic incompetence
But it goes beyond #Brexit into heroic, epic incompetence
8) most recently Rees-Mogg, Baker & the ERG couldn't even count to 48 in their failed coup.
They also took on the challenge of providing an alternative Brexit plan but abandoned that idea because it would be "widely mocked"
thetimes.co.uk/article/eurosc…
They also took on the challenge of providing an alternative Brexit plan but abandoned that idea because it would be "widely mocked"
thetimes.co.uk/article/eurosc…
9) comedy break - this epic "significant policy flaws" fail from the ERG barely made the news but below is a "downfall" spoof of the ERG bunker
captiongenerator.com/1092322/The-ER…
captiongenerator.com/1092322/The-ER…
10) most bizarrely, Gove, key architect of #Brexit, actually believed he could knife Boris Johnson in the back the night before the Tory Leadership Election *and still be voted in as Leader*
Hubris doesn't begin to cover it.
Hubris doesn't begin to cover it.
11) there are also times when ignorance, English exceptionalism & stupidity collide in a perfect storm, such as this MP who believed all UK natives had an automatic right to an Irish passport
independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-n…
independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-n…
12) the list goes on. Time & again Brexit leaders have shown themselves to be dense, ignorant, arrogant and Ill informed almost as a point of pride
I'm starting to think there must have been Russian collusion, the alternative is believing these clowns pulled off Brexit alone
I'm starting to think there must have been Russian collusion, the alternative is believing these clowns pulled off Brexit alone
13) but here is the key point. In any functional society these people would be struggling to hold down a job in paper shredding.
But they're in positions of influence, and they have enough of a lack of self awareness to speak with authority.
But they're in positions of influence, and they have enough of a lack of self awareness to speak with authority.
14) they told 17.4 m people that #Brexit would be easy because most of these Brexit leaders *believed it would be*. Stripped of any desire to be informed.
And the ones who knew it wouldn't be didn't expect to win in the first place, they couldn't even lose the ref properly
And the ones who knew it wouldn't be didn't expect to win in the first place, they couldn't even lose the ref properly
15) it's not Brexit voters we should look to. If enough people in positions of authority chant the anti establishment chant (spot the irony) and say Brexit will be free & painless, with £350 m for the NHS, why wouldn't you believe them?
16) you can have an Eton accent, wear a sharp suit, speak with authority & conviction and still be utterly, utterly dim & deluded. Populists are by definition popular. They are also generally wrong.
17) so no, Leave voters were not stupid. But they were misled, by that nightmare combination of very confident, very assertive & very dense individuals who they trusted, because why shouldn't they? Did any of us really know how heroically stupid the Brexit leaders really were?
