Thread by @atatimelikethis

There's a rumour going around about #StopTheCoup. It may be just that but it's interesting enough that someone out there should think up a counter strategy. Seems little harm in doing so.

You may be familiar with Steve Bannon's "Shock Event" strategy. If you are pls be patient

For those who don't know about it, it's fascist playbook 101 stuff. Propose something your base loves that is so outrageous to your liberal opposition that they over react, the outcome being they over play their hand, you become a martyr or the average moves in your direction.

In the US the tactics that lend themselves to manipulation are gun control and race/identity politics. Hence the headlines.

Trouble is we don't have the former, and the latter, while a cause for UK minorities, does not create the same counter reaction in the white majority.

Brexit is certainly divisive but how can Boris own such a bastard step child with so many parents?

Which is where the rumour comes in.

Imagine for a moment proroguing actually is the end not the means. Low risk for BJ. He wins if it happens. His base loves him if it doesn't.

But what if it's a shock event. The first stage?
The porogue instantly makes Boris the Brexit champion. Willing to sacrifice all for the cause.

The over reaction drives a confidence vote which he PLANS to LOSE

And then at the subsequent GE he is both champion and martyr.

This would seem to kill the Brexit Party uniting the right on a sell the country billionaires ticket, because of course they own all the papers.

Meanwhile progressives spat, split the vote and lose. Except it is so much worse. Coz you have Tory majority without "the wets"

Could lab, gen, lib, SNP etc find a way to put their differences aside to counter this? because the only current counter is a single collaborative remain stance. With parties either not fielding against, or unifying

Many have argued for this for a while.
voiceoftreason.blog/2018/07/19/the…

Unfortunately progressives have their own fanatics and it is an enduring consequence that fanatical passion for a fractured cause inevitably simply results in a pass to the opposition.

Horseshoe effect sucks.

But if we had progrssive unity we wouldn't be in this mess would we?

I hear the shrills of Blairite already echoing.

"You're taking a shot at JC again"

Just facts - you have to look at the SNP to find any degree of (pseudo) progressive electoral success in this country.

For the record a plague on the houses of the rest.

Dreamer? Pragmatist?

Which is riskier? An unlikely stakes bet for socialism, which can wait, or unity in the face of a one time existential threat?

Since the former is now twice an electoral liability, the choice is so obvious that you know we won't make it

We can't even pray

PS
Unlikely Guardian HQ reads this, but
...

Papers on right owned, corrupted, unified on Brexit

Your independent, pluralist advantage is a liability when threat is existential
Imagine if, for once, and not for long, you had unity? Your chances are better than the politicians'