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A short thread on ‘broken politics’. What do I mean when I say it’s broken? That it’s characterised by hypocrisy, ignorance, lies, stupidity, self-interest and careerism - and that it’s incapable of doing the things that ‘governing’ the country is supposed to be about.
The debacle of Brexit has demonstrated this on an unprecedented scale, but it’s far from the only example. Almost everywhere in the UK and in almost every field we see the same kinds of patterns.
The key point for me right now is to understand than neither Brexit nor the birth of the ‘Independent Group’ are in any way ‘solutions’ to the way politics is broken. Very much the opposite: they’re manifestations of the way that it is broken.
Brexit was born of broken politics. Selfishness, party-self-interest, hypocrisy, dishonesty and stupidity were all behind Cameron’s calling of the referendum. Ignorance, more stupidity, cheating and lying were the prime characteristics of the campaign - not in any way equally.
The lies told were extraordinary in their range and scope - and the ignorance and stupidity of the proposals are still being demonstrated as time passes. And the result, as and when we leave the EU, won’t in any way be what was suggested by the leave campaign.
It’s not about ‘taking back control’ for the people, but about a shift between different powerful groups, a restoration of something like the old order - but it’s being presented as the opposite. That’s what I mean about it being a manifestation of what is broken.
As for the Independent Group, they’re characterised by the same kinds of things. This isn’t a ‘break’ from old politics so much as a new way to do the same old crap, and again, hypocrisy and dishonesty at the heart of it.
People who are now saying Theresa May is a disaster but voted for confidence in her a few weeks ago. People who previously claimed when an MP changes party there should be a by-election, but are now not considering resigning.
A group without policies, without proposals, without anything *radical* to suggest at all, rather some kind of ‘nice’ return to an old status quo, isn’t doing anything about broken politics.
Nothing is being offered that’s real. No-one’s being brave enough to be honest. No-one’s being principled enough to say ‘hang on, this is all disastrous’ in a way that really matters - in speeches, but not in votes. Resigning as ministers, not as MPs. Carrying on as normal.
And all the while, pursuing something they *know* is disastrous - but not for them. They’ll be OK. We’ve seen it before all too often. ‘Nothing has changed’ may be a joke when Theresa May says it, but in some ways she’s right. Our system is still broken.
So yes, maybe Labour will offer a ‘people’s vote’, and maybe not. Maybe Theresa May will ‘take no deal off the table’ and maybe not. Frankly, who knows. In this broken place with such hypocrisy and dishonesty we can never be sure. /ends
