The Big Picture
The previous 10 newsletters have focussed on how the Conservative party damaged the country in traditional areas like the economy, education, The NHS, and the police.
Normally when this story is told in newspapers, television, YouTube channels and podcasts these areas are all grouped together as ‘Austerity’ (the removal of money from Britain) and then in 2016 the story changes to Brexit.
Then in 2020, the story changes to the pandemic. Then in 2022, the story changes again to inflation and Russia invading Ukraine. The story ends with Liz Truss’s record short stay as Prime Minister until we reach the present-day Rishi Sunak premiership.
Looking at this chronologically is understandable but this newsletter will not do it, because it has two major blindspots:
It gives the impression that removing the money from the economy (Austerity) is over and its consequences are over.
It gives the impression that each thing ends completely and then directly causes the next thing.
Britain is still experiencing Austerity. The money is still being removed from the societies and local economies where working-class and middle-class people live and work.
The consequences of Conservative government before Brexit and the pandemic on the NHS and education continue to be as or more significant as the pandemic itself or the invasion of Ukraine. Likewise, Brexit continues to affect the economy and inflation even though the Conservative party say that it is done.
So this newsletter will cover in future editions things like the benefit cap on families and the reform of housing benefits because although brought in more than 10 years ago they make people's lives worse today.
Likewise, for this 11th newsletter of The Conservative Party Disaster, we will cover the lead-up to Brexit.
Britain’s Story
Wanting the UK to leave the European Union has compelling arguments. They go something like this…
The UK is a collection of islands and as such has instincts that separation from Europe is somehow natural. Its history is one of the consolidation of power by England over the British and Irish Isles and repelling invasion from Europe.
Once unified as the United Kingdom the UK could sit and continue to resist various European attempts of military domination while benefiting from the cultural and commercial commerce that flowed naturally back and forth to Europe. All the while, and at a time and in a manner of its choosing, Britain went out into the world to dominate it, getting rich on the back of this domination.
Then at the end of the Second World War Britain learnt a different moral lesson than the rest of Europe. While the rest of Europe looked back at the war as a total catastrophe often blamed on an intoxicating mix of democracy, the nation and militarism, Britain looked back on the war as its ‘finest hour’ where, for a time, Britain stood alone and, on the back of a national effort of both democratic and militaristic strength, defeated Evil.
What became the EU was then founded by six European countries as the ‘European Steel and Coal Community’ (steel and coal being the 2 resources necessary to wage war). The rest of Europe eventually joined, generally in the spirit of wanting peace and prosperity in Europe.
But Britain never having elected or been conquered by a dictator, would join the EU with a sense of disappointment. While the rest of Europe said ‘Look what we have become!’ Britain sighed and said ‘Is this what we have become?’
Moreover, the EU moved power away from traditional concepts of democracy that form part of British identity such as the necessity of even the Prime Minister to have the support of a specific local constituency of citizens and the ability of that constituency to choose their representative at an election. Nobody who works in the EU Commission is directly elected by the people, they are all appointed.
In fact, it was the Labour party that used to be the one tearing out its hair over whether to join the EU or not. For decades, Labour said power needed to be transferred down to the people who could hire and fire politicians not up and away out of the country.
In sum, if you think that the EU is undemocratic and that Britain naturally does not fit in such a project, or would not gain more by being there, then they are sound reasons for wishing the UK to leave.
Fantasies
But as the Conservative party governed from 2010 onwards EU membership was not framed in this way. Instead, it was framed as the EU being the ultimate enemy over there, that was trying to dominate Britain. This is despite a majority of its MPs and an even larger majority of the 2015 Conservative cabinet supporting EU membership.
The idea that the EU was something that Britain could drive and take advantage of - as other countries do - was dismissed and replaced with the idea of the EU as the perfect and constant excuse for any and all failures in government. Too much immigration? - EU’s fault. The wrong type of immigration? - EU’s fault. Unable to support certain industries or workers because of ‘EU State Aid’ rules - EU’s fault. Passports the wrong colour - EU’s fault.
The opposite is true. Yes, the EU functions as a club of members who all agree to play by set rules. But the hidden truth of the EU is that it is also a club of endless exceptions for nearly all member states when they ask for them. Here are some examples:
EU immigrants to Spain need a work contract, other income of approx €600 per month or cash savings of approx €7500 and to register with the local council to stay for more than 3 months. Before Brexit, the UK chose not to do this.
German and French governments provide more public investment and subsidies to heavy industry and agricultural sectors than Britain. Before Brexit, the UK chose not to increase public investment in these areas.
For decades, Ireland has undercut the entire EU on tax by cutting corporation tax giving it a profound competitive economic advantage. Before Brexit, the UK chose not to do this.
The colour of passports in Croatia, an EU member, is blue. The EU does not regulate the colour of passports. Before Brexit, the UK chose to keep passports red.
For decades the UK dominated how the EU’s financial services sector was governed. It vetoed EU attempts to bring in extra taxes and regulations to protect the City of London. Before Brexit, the UK chose not to present this as a positive thing to the public.
It can be observed over and over again that the EU likes to make compromises and to fudge its rule book to keep unity. Most EU members - even non-members like Norway and Switzerland - recognise this and spend their time hammering out endless national compromises that suit them and presenting the benefits to their citizens.
The UK had more exceptions, opt-outs and privileges than any other member because the EU wanted us to stay in the club and work with them.
But crucially the UK liked to take these opt-outs and special privileges of the club and stay silent about them. Because the fantasy of the EU as a foreign enemy that wanted to block and dominate Britain was more useful in the short-term- especially to the Conservative party - than the truth that the EU was a powerful engine that the UK could drive in its own interests and was regularly open to compromises like those listed above.
The negative consequences to Britain from a referendum campaign organised on the back of a napkin, that stirred up and manifested political violence, and created rolling crises of every kind to this day were all unnecessary.
It all happened because the Conservative party found useful, and ultimately enjoyed, the fantasy of being dominated by evil foreigners, just like we used to dominate others.
Brexit Part 2 will cover the referendum campaign and the years of crisis caused by disagreement inside the governing Conservative party, 2016-2020
Brexit Part 3 will cover the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated, signed and championed by the 3rd Conservative Prime Minister in a row, which made Britain worse in every way without exception, 2020-2024.
The fantasy conveniently avoided introspection at our own democracy. Our country is built on unelected leaders who just happen to be appointed by outgoing prime ministers (Lords) and God (Monarch).