Loclal elections damage Conservative and Labour parties
The traditional dominance of the conservative and labour parties have taken a heavy blow in UK local elections from last week. Both Labour and Conservative parties have ,in an unusual outcome, both registered losses. These local elections have provided a mouthpiece for the UK people. The message is this, 'we protest over the way both parties have handled Brexit'. The frustration is only too obvious, delay, lack of unity, and a group of MP's simply hoping that remain will somehow creep back past the post. The country was divided, parliament is divided and, a house divided against itself cannot stand.
Protest vote X-Large
The original Brexit vote in June 2016 was never mainly about Britain remaining in the EU. Instead, it was a protest vote. Plain and simple. People took a look at 'their lot' and , when David Cameron said that you will lose 'that lot' if we vote to leave the EU, thought, 'things are not working well for me here', so I may as well try my luck with Brexit. Maybe we will be better off on our own. Either way, things are not working for me here. It didn't help the British people when those with the most privilege sneered at the Brexiteers and embraced a rhetoric of, 'only thick idiots want to leave the EU'. Instead of embracing the concern of many losing out, they mocked and vilified the Brexiteers as thick, white, racists. Those who simply felt sidelined by the political climate were not just ignored, but insulted. Those who were concerned about losing independecy as a nation state were seen as Neanderthals numbskulls. The mood was captured, rightly or wrongly, by the images of the EU remainer and musician Bob Geldoff flicking the V-sign at Scottish Fishermen in a protest on the River Thames. Bob Geldof floated along on a pleasure cruiser, packed with young activists holidng pro-EU placards, blaring out the tune, 'I'm in with the in crowd'. You can read about the Geldoff account here from the Telegraph.
This singular moment did a lot of damage to the remain cause. Remainers were seen in many people's eyes as the privileged well to do pouring scorn on the thick idiots. This was now about 'us' and 'them', the 'haves' and the 'haves not'. Brexit was a chance to strike back, in private, in the ballot box, and the only opportunity for some to have their say. It was a rejection of their world as much as a European one.
What now for the GBP
And so to today. The local elections from last week just say the same thing again. Labour and Conservative parties have both lost votes. 'A plague on both your houses', says the British voters. The Lib Dems have done very well as have independent candidates alongside the Green Party picking up votes. The British people want someone who will lead them away from what they are being presented with. Nearly anyone will do right now. Regarding the GBP the Labor and Conservatives are now both in the mire. If anything can jumpstart cross party talks it is this. I will expect some pretty fast movement now before the European elections. Get the cross party talks to arrange a deal and the GBP will rally. That is the headline I am looking for now.
