BY DOMINIC WIGHTMAN
There is too much noise. Too much dissembling going on. And there are too many lies by politicians and in the media.
Take the example of last night’s Cooper bill which was passed by one vote. The #FBPE crowd were cock-a-hoop. Yet this bill cannot prevent a no deal Brexit. The Cooper bill necessitates our Prime Minister asking the European Council for an extension. What happens if she fails to get an extension or gets offered an extension the UK cannot afford or accept? The bill – should the House of Lords or the Courts not reject the bill as they ought – instead obliges the Prime Minister to ask repeatedly for an extension. A Sisyphus scenario that will most likely be killed by the clock.
As things stand the UK must ratify the WA by Monday 8th April (or possibly with added written procedure by next Friday 12th April). If the WA is not ratified then things are clear – no extension is available. No Deal seems inevitable. Whatever Brussels comes up with usurps what Westminster comes up with until we leave.
Meanwhile talk is ubiquitous this morning of the Cooper bill passing by one vote. Why are the mainstream media (the Twittersphere picked up on this point almost immediately) ignoring the fact that the one vote is that of convicted criminal – tag-sporting MP Fiona Onasanya? Why does our system even allow for Onasanya’s vote to be counted? Does it allow for it? Under the Representation of the People Act (1983) convicted prisoners are barred from voting – she is still convicted (on a tag) so her vote must surely be void?
And finally (although there are so many lies and distortions out there during these heady days of Brexit that one could write a book about them) why are military types playing down the detestation of Corbyn by British soldiers? The army is apolitical, apparently – yeah right!
Corbyn supports all the enemies the British army has faced over the last fifty years. Soldiers have lost friends and family to Corbyn’s “friends” – as have Conservative politicians (Mrs May should have a chat with her predecessors about this while attempting to get her WA through via Corbyn). So why are military types simply condemning the soldiers’ paintball fun – unwise though it may be – without admitting the truth that the military is sworn to Her Majesty and a Corbyn Premiership is dreaded by the British forces? Under the 1911 Parliament Act the exercise of the Royal prerogative is in the hands of the Prime Minister but should such an enemy of this country ever get into Number 10, then their loyalty to the UK Government may well go out of the window.
A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.