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Tomorrow I will debate my book with three others at the Politeia event at lunch time. I will stress just how damaging to our democracy and to the credibility of the media the endless repetition of stupid scare stories has become. Those who invented the great Remain untruths in the first place have rested or ignored the good refutations provided. We are still lectured to believe Calais/Dover will seize up as a trade route when both ends have made clear it will work fine. We are still told we need to stockpile drugs though no-one has pointed to any major continental drug supplier of the NHS who intends to break contract and refuse to send more supplies. We are not told so 0ften the planes will not fly any more.
So called serious journalists on the BBC use “fall off a cliff” and “cataclysm” as descriptors of a so called No deal without asking how or why, and without cross questioning the advocates of this shrill and stupid language. They decline to report the many agreements and arrangements put in place on both sides of the Channel to ease our exit without the Withdrawal Agreement. There is a marked reluctance to interview people with a more measured and sensible view of how we will trade once we have left. Indeed, we are not even invited on to explain how the present complex Irish border works for Excise, VAT and currency frictions or differences. The BBC seems to think the computer has not been invented, and never talks about electronic manifests and away from the border settlement of tax bills which happens today.
I wish to speak about what happens when a populist party or movement becomes the government, as in the USA, Italy and elsewhere and in the UK with the case of the Brexit policy the public has voted for. The governing institutions that attack populism have to adjust to the will of the people as reflected at the ballot box. There has to be a working together of the establishment and the challengers for the betterment of the voters. Establishments always used to accept democratic verdicts in the UK and USA. They have to show on both sides of the Atlantic that they respect the votes of the people, and can contribute genuine expertise to the task of carrying out the people’s wishes. They should not try to dream up false stories or abuse or twist powers to block the popular will.
The latest updated version of “We don’t believe you” about populism, is available through Amazon
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