Britain beyond Brexit: The quest to remake British politics

Discussion in 'Western Europe' started by LafayetteBis, Sep 27, 2018.

  1. LafayetteBis

    LafayetteBis Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    From the Economist: Britain beyond BrexitThe quest to remake British politics

    Excerpt:
    Quo vadis, Britannica?

    Any ideas, fellow onlookers ... ?
     
  2. HonestJoe

    HonestJoe Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Well clearly it’s in the media’s interest to predict grand and dramatic changes so they can discuss all of the possible major impacts on their readers lives but in reality, I really don’t see anything changing. There have been big movements (or purported big moments) in socio-political life before, such as the credit crunch mentioned in the article but while there is all sorts of big talk about how it changes everything, we can see that a little way down the road it’s all pretty much settled back to the old structures.

    I think the general problem, is the fundamental disconnect between the business of politics and the business of running a country. I don’t think they’re just different, I think they’re diametrically opposed. The things politicians need to say and do to win elections (or referendums) actively make it more difficult for them to actually follow though if they win or to provide an effective opposition if they lose. The Brexit referendum just happens to be an example with some blatant examples, with both sides making unrealistic or outright false assessments, predictions and promises meaning any of the outcomes promised to the electorate are literally impossible to achieve.

    Nothing we’re seeing here is new. There have always been elements of the Labour party pushing for policies like nationalisation and focus on the worker, variously rising and falling in influence over the years. They’re hitting something of a peek at the moment but even if Corbyn’s Labour won a general election, they’re not going to be able to follow through with many of these grand plans and when they try to, there will be all sorts of complications, problems and compromises to end us up with a slightly different but equally flawed outcome as we had before. Sounds a lot like a certain Brexit we could mention doesn’t it. ;)

    I know this all sounds negative and I don’t have any particular magic solution (after all, my whole point is that there are no magical political solutions). If we could somehow get a greater realisation and acceptance of that reality across the population though, maybe the politicians wouldn’t dominate public discussion and we could hear more and say more to the people actually doing to boring day-to-day work of running the country and make the series of small incremental changes to slightly improve things that actually work in the real world.
     
  3. Baff

    Baff Well-Known Member

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    After Brexit the Tory's are promoting tax breaks, and Labour socialism.

    So no change is expected.


    People expecting any great changes for leaving the EU are going to be disappointed.
    They will find something else to get distraught about instead.

    The big change in Brexit is simply a load of bureaucrats get the sack.
    A load of pissed off politicians and multinational CEO's.
    No one cares.
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2018

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