Post-election musings (also posted on FB)
Dec. 13th, 2019 07:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rich_jackoTo those despairing today that the UK (especially England) has abandoned its common sense and morality:
- The UK population is about 66.5 million.
- 14.6 million people voted Conservative/Brexit/UKIP.
- 16.3 million people voted for left-leaning parties.
- Nearly 20 million people were unable to vote.
- In every nation of the UK, a majority of the votes cast were for left-leaning, Remain-leaning parties.
We need proportional representation. We really, really do.
We also need more understanding and transparency, rather than tribalism and propaganda. I am not a fan of accusing millions of voters of being fascists.
Once more, we have a government that most people did not vote for. It now looks almost inevitable that the UK will leave the EU on 31st January. I am very sad about both of these things.
But I need to be optimistic that, with a new northern, industrial voter base, we see not just talk, but a genuine return to "one nation" conservatism.
I need to be optimistic that, with a comfortable majority and having "got Brexit done", the Conservatives no longer feel the need to pander to every last far right nut-job on their fringe, and are willing to put the effort into a close, successful future partnership with the EU.
I need to be optimistic that Labour will take a long, hard look at themselves and re-emerge as a credible alternative Government-in-waiting.
I need to be optimistic that, with climate change forming such a huge part of campaigning, the Government is shamed into taking faster, more decisive action than the woefully token pledges in its manifesto.
Above all, I need to be hopeful for an end to the politics of blame and division.
I can dream, right...?
Let's keep the pressure on to make all of these things a reality.
- The UK population is about 66.5 million.
- 14.6 million people voted Conservative/Brexit/UKIP.
- 16.3 million people voted for left-leaning parties.
- Nearly 20 million people were unable to vote.
- In every nation of the UK, a majority of the votes cast were for left-leaning, Remain-leaning parties.
We need proportional representation. We really, really do.
We also need more understanding and transparency, rather than tribalism and propaganda. I am not a fan of accusing millions of voters of being fascists.
Once more, we have a government that most people did not vote for. It now looks almost inevitable that the UK will leave the EU on 31st January. I am very sad about both of these things.
But I need to be optimistic that, with a new northern, industrial voter base, we see not just talk, but a genuine return to "one nation" conservatism.
I need to be optimistic that, with a comfortable majority and having "got Brexit done", the Conservatives no longer feel the need to pander to every last far right nut-job on their fringe, and are willing to put the effort into a close, successful future partnership with the EU.
I need to be optimistic that Labour will take a long, hard look at themselves and re-emerge as a credible alternative Government-in-waiting.
I need to be optimistic that, with climate change forming such a huge part of campaigning, the Government is shamed into taking faster, more decisive action than the woefully token pledges in its manifesto.
Above all, I need to be hopeful for an end to the politics of blame and division.
I can dream, right...?
Let's keep the pressure on to make all of these things a reality.
