Gordian Knot

The Prime Minister warned that leaving the EU with no deal “would put the future of our Union at risk”. Her deal would do the same. The writing is on the wall. It is just a matter of time before the end.

I am in favour of an Anglo-Welsh exit from the EU. This is what people voted for. The ‘will of the people’ would be economically and socially retrograde but politically enlightening. Many in Scotland and Ireland would be happy to see such a long needed and necessary education now happening at last.

If I had the right to vote I would vote against every version of Brexit or All UK exit, whether the Theresa May, Jacob Reece-Mogg or Jeremy Corbyn version. Why should damage be inflicted on Ireland and Scotland when they voted against it?

Politics is revolving around the eternal triangle of crown, parliament and peoples. The crown is the power and parliament and the peoples are supplicants. (I used the word ‘peoples’ with reference to England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – and not forgetting the Irish republic).

Since the 2016 referendum politics has revolved around the idea of crown and the people versus parliament. Even though parliament has just defeated the crown, May will not resign or call a general election. She will claim that in her new ‘republican’ constitution, the crown is still carrying out the ‘will of the people’.

In fact opinion polls say that eighty percent of people reject the May deal and only twenty support it. Unfortunately that is only an opinion poll, and on the scales of politics and power, counts for next to nothing. If opinion polls are right, for example, Corbyn has already lost the next general election!

A ratification referendum breaks the Gordian knot. Parliament has to take control from the crown and ask the people the same question just put to the House of Commons (or any modified deal). Do the people back the Commons against the crown? This replaces ‘interesting’ polls with political facts.

This is not a new or ‘second’ repeat referendum. It is merely the completion of the democratic cycle of accountability from the people to the crown, back to parliament and then returning to the people. The implied question is “Do you accept this deal or not”? Unfortunately Weekly Worker writers have refused to recognise or even acknowledge the democratic distinction which only helps obfuscation by the Labour right who are misleading the working class.

Hence either the people accept the Crown’s deal or vote it down. In the former case the May government wins and continues. But if the people reject the deal there is nowhere to hide and no excuse to keep hiding. She would have to resign just like Cameron did (or be forced out). The Tories would elect another leader before an imminent 2019 general election.

Therefore a ratification referendum is the best route to a general election and then to a possible Corbyn government. That is the obvious line of march. Labour’s current tactics demand a general election if the Crown’s deal is voted down in parliament. They have put the cart before the horse.

May is now heavily defeated by 432 to 202 votes. In the old style politics, a significant defeat in parliament would have brought a general election. But since May is carrying out the ‘will of the people’ she will surely carry on and keep trying. This unholy alliance between the crown and the ‘republic’ is surely doomed when this contradiction works itself out.

Labour’s demand for an immediate general election is thus ‘ultra left’ by trying to take the second step before the first. It leads inevitably to the demand for a vote of no confidence which Labour won’t win. (- and didn’t). May threw down the gauntlet, long egged on by the Liberal Democrats and the Labour right.

The Labour right are trying to split Corbyn from Labour members and voters. They have demanded a vote of no confidence in May to close the door on a general election and clear the way for a remain referendum. Another 50-50 Chukka-Blair remain referendum is a danger of entrenching the divisions in a divided working class. Those who are serious about remaining in the EU should concentrate on supporting action in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Outside parliament I heard a moment of national unity as rival protesters for Leave and Remain cheered in unison at the news of May’s defeat. A ratification referendum would allow them to keep cheering all the way into the polling booth.

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