Brexit - Democracy in the UK

Afternoon Mugs

Now don't switch off. There's loads I can and maybe will say on Brexit. And before we move one bit further , let's make it clear. I'M A REMAINER. And sadly that makes it very unlikely I can ever be really good friends with anyone who voted to Leave. Well, let me the caveat  that, I don't think I could be friends with someone who believes a hard Brexit is the way to go. The narrative seems to state that if we crash out without a deal, then we revert to WTO terms. The truth is much more complex that that. if we crash out then we'd be the only major economy with zero trade deals . These trade deals can take years to negotiate. The impact would be devastating. if the 2008 crash saw  2% decline in GDP, then this is estimated to take that to 9%. 

Imagine that. Thought you knew what austerity meant? You wait until this baby hits you.  But that isn't what this post is about really. Like many I'm pretty exhausted by the bollocks that is Brexit. Whatever happens I have an Irish passport. My insurance policy is there. I have freedom of movement, I can go and live in Ireland and yet I retain my UK nationality. Best of both worlds by an accident of birth. 

No, this post is more about the absolutely dreadful site of UK democracy today. In my life this is without doubt the worst set of MPs I have ever know. The ones in keys positions of power are so bad I wouldn't trust them to run a bath on their own, let alone a country.We have an opposition front bench containing a communist in the loathsome bully John McDonnell and leader who is a supporter of Middle Eastern terrorist groups......yes, Jeremy Corbyn, that's you.  Diane Abbott may be an honourably MP but there is no way she is capable pf high cabinet office. And words fail me on most of the others on the oppositions front bench. Barry Gardiner, slimy, duplicitous and pompous. Most of the others are just anonymous no-marks. The good ones such as Keir Starmer, Yvette Cooper, Chukka Umunna, Liz Kendall, Rachel Reeves, Owen Smith and others must be very cleverly biding their time to resume control when Labour inevitably loses the next election to the worst Tory party ever. Surely....they must be.....

Yes, the worst Tory party ever. A party infiltrated by Little England UKIP supports, divided on Europe, anti-gay, racist, hostile environment creating rhetoric. A party offering anyone under 30 absolutely  nothing. Zero. Zilch. Fuck all. Not only are they so utterly incompetent that they are driving the country towards ruin whilst overseeing a rise in race and hate crime, they are the most loathsome set of Tories ever. How the hell does Esther McVey get elected. Who listens to her and Nadine Dorries and thinks 'yes, these are switched on' . If you vote for Boris Johnson or the utterly despicable Jacob Rees-Mogg, then you're a traitor  to your class and the country unless you are Eton or Harrow educated and have a butler. Does anyone think they are MPs to serve national interest? And then bribing the duplicitous, nasty, vindictive, hypocritical DUP to prop them up and allowing a minority party to hold the country to ransom. 

They are like so many of the 650 in place, career politicians, and as such they are a scourge on the country. And then you have the poor old Lib Dems, headed up by the nice but ageing and faltering Vince Cable. The SNP, a party I wholeheartedly agree with, headed up by one of the few good politicians around, Nicola Sturgeon, but now tainted by alleged sexual misdemeanours of former leader Alex Salmond. 

The answers to this political malaise, and the rise of the politically homeless is simple. 

1.) Get rid of the ridiculous 'first past the post' system which underpins the 2 party state and means MILLIONS of votes are utterly wasted. Proportional representation is the way to go. 

2.) No more career politicians. No more leaving University and going straight into political mainstream life. No, you need to have worked in a real job for 8 years minimum, in fact I'd even be minded to restrict being an MP to a minimum age of 30, allowing for university to finish. 

3.) MPs will only ever come from the area they represent.

4.) The House of Lords need replacing with a fully elected second house. Also PR based. 

5.) At any time of war or national crisis, a UNITY government must be formed representing every party in Parliament. 

6.) Voting is MANDATORY. yes, you have vote and must use it. people fought for that right, use to, and in a PR system every vote counts. 

7.) There should be a fact checking independent body. A permanent Truth Commission. This would be to check any claims and facts spouted by both politicians AND the media. No more dressing things up. Facts, Facts, Facts, Indisputable facts. They would watch everything from parliamentary debates through to BBC Question Time, through to newspaper and in-line editorials. 

8.) Mothball the Houses of Parliament and re-open to the pubs for visits. Build a new assembly building in London with other regionally. Modern buildings and do way with all the ceremonial bollocks except for the public and opening/closing of parliament maybe.

9.) If Scotland wants independence then grant it. Ditto, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

Start there and re-engage people in politics. Move away from extremes because that isn't what Britain is about. In other words, tear the current rotten system up and start again with something for the 21st century. 

Later Mugs, GJ