Autumn reflections
Without wishing to pile logs on the fire of the national misery surrounding the Brexit crisis, the state that Parliament has got itself into or indeed the culture surrounding political discourse generally as we embark upon one of the most crucial and far-reaching months in the history of this Sceptred Isle, this morning I would like to propose something that I feel most sane people would agree might make a positive contribution to our future.
Before coming to that, however, I also wished to comment briefly upon the current situation – by which I refer to the period since the moment that, about three months after the result of the 2016 EU Referendum was announced, someone somewhere pressed the button marked “Chaos” and our politicians and all Establishment opinion-formers collectively took leave of their senses.
Far be it for me to take issue with a fellow Rust columnist just for the hell of it – and whilst I worship at the altar of no British politician of the past thirty years – I do think that J.S. Bird was shooting wide of the mark yesterday in dismissing Boris Johnson as little more than a second-rate music hall comedian.
Even though I don’t vote myself I subscribe to the theory that, more than in any other avenue of life, the electorate always ends up with the politicians it deserves.
The above statement is most often aimed at promoting the notion that in any democracy it is the citizen’s duty to vote, essentially so that they have a stake in the affairs of state going forward and/or (to flip the logic) anyone who by default or deliberate act fails to vote has thereby forfeited any right to complain about what occurs thereafter.
Ergo, to vote is to participate and – in order to work properly or at all – democracy depends upon its citizens’ participation and commitment.
It’s a real-life version of the schoolyard game in which one pupil faces the wall and the others start in a line on the far side of the yard. The ‘scheme’ is for those in the line to attempt to advance across the yard as fast or as slowly as they wish in an attempt to win the game by ‘tagging’ (touching) the individual … whilst the individual facing the wall randomly chooses when to suddenly turn around, whereupon anybody who is then spotted still moving is deemed ‘out’ and has to retire from the game.
In other words, translated to the word of politics, it is all about vigilance and keeping the hordes of Barbarism (howsoever anyone chooses to define that) at bay.
For if you do not remain at a constant state of high alert and suspicion, the Barbarians will inevitably be chipping away at your virtues, traditions, principles, morals, constitutional conventions and cultural norms – whatever it is that makes your nation what it is – until, before you know it – civilisation breaks down, Empires fall and yes, chaos results.
Which, would not everyone agree, is a bad thing. (Or maybe these days they wouldn’t).
Which brings me to my suggestion this morning.
Nobody knows how this Brexit thing is going to pan out and what its aftermath will be. But if we ever get to the point that a Second Referendum (or ‘People’s Vote’, or ‘Confirmatory Vote, whatever it is being called) actually takes place, why don’t we have three options on the ballot paper?
- Remaining in the EU;
- Leavin the EU on the basis of some agreed Deal;
And – this an additional and separate Referendum for registered voters in England, Wales and Northern Ireland only:
- Would you like Scotland to remain in the UK?
YES
NO
