AT LEAST THE REFERENDUM WAS STRAIGHTFORWARD... WASN'T IT?

              

                AT LEAST THE REFERENDUM WAS STRAIGHTFORWARD...  WASN'T IT?

For over forty years many citizens of this country have questioned our continuing membership of the EU.Why any nation state would wish to throw its lot in with a group of countries so diverse in culture and standards is beyond me.  Perhaps it had something to do with what those in power and their very close political and business allies got out of the very cloistered self-serving gravy train.  I may just be slightly cynical of course, but the public were sold the idea of a trade agreement that meant easier access for lorries taking exports to Western European nations and the similarly easy access back with imports.

So far, quite acceptable.  The problem is that as with all things self-serving, politicians cannot leave well alone.  I often wonder if support for our initial membership would have been quite so strong if mention had been made of easterly expansion to include Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.  The total population living in the UK  emanating from the aforementioned countries at the present time is (cue drum roll and trumpet fanfare) 1,750,000! And that is the disclosed figure, one can only guess at the reality of the migration.  Add this number to the French, German, Italian, Spanish et al who are legally here and you have the reason why so much of England's once green and pleasant land has been built upon.  And where has this camaraderie, this club-like fellowship, this 'We're all in it together' got us?  To be honest, not very far.  The English Channel is awash with migrants paddling their way across from France.  If only their boats were awash!  The French must be laughing all the way to their next drag of Gauloises! (Other brands are available)...

Every state puts its national interest first and foremost.  The French will always look after themselves in a very open, demonstrative way that I often wish the UK would learn from and not kow-tow to as we have done for over four decades. Then in 2015 there shone a beacon of light offering hope, false or otherwise? Yes, it was David Cameron at odds with the European establishment!  British demands, or the lack of them, wrapped in pro-EU gift paper and sold to the British public were considered enough to garner a majority.  Let's face it, he only offered the  referendum as he never thought he would lose.  Trips to Europe, talks late into the night, promises akin to Chamberlain returning from an evening with Adolf... but in the end it wasn't enough.  The British public didn't buy the deal.  The majority voted to leave and David Cameron took his  toys away and earned even more money on the speakers' circuit.  Good on him, but gutless all the same. 

For the next three years under Theresa May the country lurched rudderless from one referendum dispute to another.  The lack of a working majority contributed greatly to the problems, not helped by Mrs. May's disastrous campaign leading up to the 2017 election, when her majority was wiped out and the Good Ship SS United Kingdom became grounded on the European shelf, thanks to government ineptitude, Northern Irish doggedness and the bloody Liberal Democrats who were anything but, refusing to accept the result at the ballot box taken three years previously.  The Labour Party twisted and turned, before imploding in its own lack of direction and leadership... But hark?  Who is this I hear coming up fast on the nearside rails? Why, it is our democratic saviour! It is 'Our Boris'.  Another election and a chance to settle this ongoing sore once and for all.  Despite some Tory dissenters, cometh the hour they generally stick together.  The Labour Party was in disarray with many of their MP's committed Remainers and many ready to leave.  The problem was that they never consulted their traditional voters beforehand.  The continuing festering sore came in the form of the Liberal Democrats who proved that the one thing they were not was democratic.  Armed with a policy of overturning a decision made at the ballot box three years previous, their corporate, hypocritical, and mis-judged rallying call was led by their newly elected leader Jo Swinson - a young lady who sounded increasingly out of her depth as each week and tv exposure passed. I'm sure she'd make a very fine Akala, but a leading political leader?... I think not.  Neither, thank Christ did the voting public.  The Tories won with a very comfortable working majority, the Labour Party bloodied themselves in total despair and Ms Swinson lost her seat, resigned as leader of her party and I have heard nothing more of her since.  Perhaps she is honing up her knowledge of the word 'Democracy'. All that hype, all that publicity, all that self-belief and they end up with eleven seats! Who voted for them anyway?  I want their names and the chance to send them on a course on Basic Life Skills, then work up to 'Democracy' given time and their development of course!

Right, time for a cuppa and my good old standby for reading material when desirous of something comforting, factual and indisputable, garnished with not a small dollop of smugness and self-satisfaction. (5minutes later) Aaaaaahhhhhh... that's hit the spot... Tea, biccy and the Daily Telegraph, dated 13th December 2019 opened at page 4, column 8. Halfway down are the immortal words Dumbarton East election result;- Amy Callaghan 19,672, Jo Swinson 19,523.  It may be a close run election, but the SNP's very own Amy achieved a higher number of votes and was therefore elected.  The referendum on whether to remain or leave was based on exactly the same principle.  So please, Liberal Democrats, GET OVER IT, MOVE ON, and understand democracy...  the public do!