The Brexit Chronicles

Fly On A Windshield

Published on December the 8th, 2019. 08.45.

"And I'm hovering like a fly; waiting for the windshield on the freeway..." - Fly On A Windshield, from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, by Genesis.

There's nothing like a General Election to ram the point home as to how powerless you really are. Unless you live in one of the hundred or so swing constituencies you are, as I am, rendered a mere spectator to great events taking place beyond your control. As such I've avoided the depressing campaign and it's associated bullshit as much as possible. At least in a few days time all of that will be over.

Whatever the eventual result of the election may be, there are no good outcomes; we'll either have to endure Boris' botched BRINO constructed atop a mountain of the bones of the vulnerable, or instead suffer Jeremy Corbyn's inept attempt to camouflage a craven Article 50 withdrawal behind a confirmatory referendum, a measure all but certain to ignite civil unrest. Or possibly worst of all, a repeat of the previous hung parliament, with the same deadlocked drama being played by a new cast. That would stretch the nation to breaking point and beyond.

On the subject of disturbances to public order it is worth remembering that in many cases rioting breaks out within the first two years of a Tory government; the examples of 1980/81, 1984/85, 1989/1990, and 2011 come to mind. I think we'll see more of the same to come next year or in 2021 if BoJo and his Wanker Party are re-elected.

As usual I'll be a bystander of these polls, living as I do in a safe (22,500 majority) Tory seat, represented by an inept Remainer. There are Labour, Lib-Dem and Green candidates as well, along with a back of an envelope Libertarian Party, as well as the locally based but habitual deposit forfieter of the Patria party. Sadly there are no Brexit, Official Monster Raving Loony, or Natural Law parties running here to register a protest vote for. In the case of the Brexit Party they've not even waited until after the results have been declared to come apart like a pair of ShoeZone's worst offerings; but never mind, Nigel had his moment of fame...

Yesterday while waiting for a delayed bus I was surprised to see a Labour Party campaign coach arrive, and attempt to drum up support. They failed miserably; in fact there was more of a crowd gathered around the Extinction Rebellion table set up further along the street. A portent of what may be later this week perhaps? I expect there will be a slim, though sufficient Tory majority; but Blue or Red, In or Out, or a Middle In The Middle coalition, the future looks grim and the feared inevitable windshield rushes ever closer.