Thread by @SimonFRCox

Nationalist messaging depends on messengers like Kawczynski, Leadsom & Hoey. Calling them “stupid” helps their messaging. Thread. 1/10

As UK’s inherent weakness compared to EU becomes more obviously important, nationalists return to “unelected bureacrats!” meme. 2/

Brexiters who cry “unelected bureaucrats” never wanted EU governance to be entirely in hands of the directly Euro Parliament. That would completely sideline UK Gov. And even if UK MEPs voted as a bloc (!), they’d just be 10% 3/

The true message of Leadsom & Hoey is “they weren’t elected exclusively by British voters, so they don’t count!” 4/

But actually *saying* that would show Leadsom-Hoey’s point is just bald nationalism - “you aren’t British so shut up”.

So they rephrase it as about “democracy”. 5/

Leadsom-Hoey disguise a truism “this is an EU body, not a UK one” as a protest. They are stupid enough not to realise - which makes them *clever* enough to do it well. 6/

The “unelected bureaucrats” meme is a cover for the deep nationalist point they don’t want to say out loud:

“UK should not be part of any powerful international institution that UK can’t control”. 7/

Nationalists don’t want to frame debates that way: it would focus attention on power differential between UK & EU - and global trends of powerful countries to compromise in regional trade blocs. 8/

Calling Leadsom-Hoey false comments “stupid” is heard by their supporters as an attack on the underlying message - that UK is strong & doesn’t need to accept unpleasant compromise with other states 9/

Instead, we should try to expose the underlying, real claims. This is difficult, because it means calling them out for hiding their real aims and beliefs. And it’s painful for many Brits who share their nationalist exaggerated view of UK power. 10/10

this thread inspired by @PaulbernalUK thread on fake news & @sylviademars thread puzzling why UK free traders oppose Europe’s regional trade deal