The following is based partly on an article in the Financial Times:
On July 20th Martin Wolf, wrote in the Financial Times: “No one knows what kind of Britain will emerge from the “Brexit earthquake”, but my increasingly clear conviction is that the outcome will be ugly and the damage long-term. “The UK that “the world thought it knew – stable, pragmatic and respected – is gone, probably forever. Failing to agree a smooth Brexit due to fears over the Irish backstop is a national folly – since that backstop only prevents Britain from making trade deals that are either “less important than maintaining good relations with the EU”, “probably unavailable” (China and India) or “abusive” (the US)”.
My comment: We now face the prospect of an un-thought-out, no-deal Brexit, multiple constitutional crises, the suspension of Parliament for a record five weeks (preventing Parliament from taking action to avoid crashing out of the EU), and the probable break-up of the UK. We also we have the prospect of the most divisive general election ever, a choice between the irresponsible fantasist, Boris Johnson, and Jeremy Corbyn, arguably the worst Labour Party leader ever. As Martin Wolf comments: “Can Britain really be this lost, dithering between Ayn Rand and Leon Trotsky? What’s happening is not worthy of a serious country. The conclusion? We no longer are one”.
P.S The Queen agreed to a five week suspension of Parliament. One assumes she took the best advice and had no choice but to agree. If so, the rules need a big change. This executive coup makes a mockery of Parliamentary government, and is reminiscent of the treatment King Charles I dealt out to Parliament in the 17th Century, a disaster at the time, leading to civil war. But the long- term effect was to reduce the power of the monarchy and make Parliament supreme. When did the Constitution change, allowing this unelected bighead with dictatorial leanings, to steal the power from the elected parliament? Britain needs to return power to elected representatives. Pronto!
Ataraxia! Where are you now we need you more than ever?