As George Orwell astutely noted in 1984, one of the crucial steps in the
transition from democracy to dictatorship (Theresa May would presumably call
this the ‘implementation phase’) is the perversion of language. We have heard a
lot of it since the Brexit referendum.
I read today that fewer than half even
of Leave voters think Brexit will benefit them and their families, but 90 per
cent still believe the referendum result should be ‘respected’. I agree with
them, the result should be ‘respected’, but as George Orwell would no doubt
remind us, ‘respect’ is not the same as ‘obey’. Generals often speak about ‘respecting’
the enemy, but that does not mean they obey them!
The referendum was advisory, not
binding, at the insistence of the Parliament Brexiters say must be sovereign. So
MPs are NOT bound by the result, but they should respect this enormous
consultative exercise by debating and taking decisions, without further delay,
on these questions:-
1. Was the referendum conducted
fairly and is its result valid? If no, MPs must act at once to halt the
withdrawal process and decide how to proceed. Should there be a new referendum?
If so, how should it be conducted? Should it be binding or advisory? etc
2. If they consider the result of
the 2016 referendum IS valid, MPs must examine what would be the effect on the
prosperity, quality of life, security, integrity etc of the UK if we were to
leave the EU, and, if they were to decide that it would be in our national
interest to leave, then they must examine what post-Brexit state we should be
aiming for – in or out of the Single Market and/or customs union, for example.
Yes. I know it’s a scandal that MPs
have failed to do any of this during the 21 months since the referendum, but
they need to do it NOW before they consign themselves to irrelevance. And if
the government tries to block their efforts, they must bring it down.
*Will a woman always win an argument with a man? Here's a television vox pop I conducted in Coventry in 1974. http://www.macearchive.org/films/atv-today-12091974-vox-pop-arguing
No comments:
Post a Comment