Changing pounds into euros Sunday, following the General Election results was crippling, for my bank account.
In the two hours it took to get from my home to the currency exchange the pound plummeted, costing me an extra eight pounds sterling from the amount I would have paid two hours previously. While in the queue for the till the pound dropped an extra two pounds in fifteen minutes.
Having been given a chance to make positive changes to government and society as a whole the British people queued up on Thursday and said; 'Fuck you, I'm British. I like strife and conflict.' Resulting in the second hung parliament in ten years, not nearly enough time to recover from the Nick Clegg, and David Cameron partnership that got us here in the first place.
Though we could count back this awful system of government and snide politics to Tony Blair and his New Labour campaign.
The vote had a few interesting plot turns, such as Kennsington going home to have a nap and returning not that day, but the next to declare their winner long after everyone else had packed up and gone home. SNP god father Alex Salmond getting beaten by the Scottish Conservatives, leaving desperate for power Ruth Davidson doing a jig. Nick Clegg getting voted out of his constituency, even though the Liberal Democrats had a rise, and of course the end of UKIP, resulting in threats from Nigel Farage to return to 'full campaigning'.
Amongst the political highlights there stood some great public moments as well, such as a news reporter shouting out at Theresa May when she finally emerged from Number 10 to visit the queen, 'Still Strong and Stable Theresa?'. Tories across the country being told repeatedly by reporters; 'No, you haven't won actually. You do not have a majority. No, the public obviously did not vote you back in.'
However, while the Exit Poll nearly got the result bang on, people are still left in shock. Many have turned to the art of online petitions, asking people to sign to ensure that Theresa May steps down as leader, or that the Labour gets its Minority Government and the Tories step down entirely, or that the Tories cannot make a coalition with the much feared DUP.
In short, people are now desperately trying to do what they believe should have been done in the course of the vote. Attempts that scream sore looser, not future planner.
The most incredible thing about this vote was the manner in which the public have been played. Theresa May made this election entirely about Brexit, insisting from the off that the conservatives are the only ones with a plan for our exit from the EU. All the while questions on Brexit have been dodged like explosive rounds on the Tories part and negotiations have already reportedly gone sour. Yet their aversion tactics, repetition of catch all phrases, such as 'Strong and Stable' and 'We have a plan' amazingly won out.
Most of the people interviewed for voting conservative even said that they know that the party; 'is bad for our public services' and general survival, but as the only party with a plan on Brexit they seemed the best bet.
The conservatives have literally pulled the best stunt of The Emperors New Clothes. Sheeting themselves in a non-existent Brexit plan, but insisting that it is in fact there and only those smart enough can comprehend it.
Meanwhile Labour's Jeremy Corbyn took a different stroke, concentrating on issues facing the British public today, now and putting Brexit to the side. Though this was a huge win for Labour, bringing back the two party politics system they greatly missed, it was a giant let down for the public, who all the while had the Tories smear campaign, as that is all it was, telling them that Corbyn was dreaming, and wishing on a 'money tree''. Undercutting all of his plans with 'what about Brexit', and 'where does the money come from?'.
What the public failed to realize in most cases is that the conservatives could not possibly begin to understand the thought of taking money from people who actually have it, for they believe that money is for having, and that to get it one must sell off the assists of others or take on loans. Hence our governments shocking hole of national debt. To them Corybn was dreaming of a magical source of money.
Furthermore, the thought of negotiating with anyone is beyond these 'single child' syndrome Conservatives, who strongly believe that what they want they should just get. Hence their failing talks with the EU, and complete failure to understand every other parties position.
Then we have Scotland. The SNP lost a vast number of their strongholds. Many to the conservatives, resulting in a slap in the face for much of the Scottish population. However, Scotland is extremely unbalanced, filled with a great number of very rich areas, and a huge number of extremely impoverished areas, there is little of the in-between.
Although everything currently is a complete mess, with the Queens speech being delayed till a government can in fact actually be formed, there are thousands of reasons why you shouldn't be as worried as you currently are.
For one, any deal between the DUP and Tories will not be like the last coalition between the Tories and Lid Dems. Last time there was a three way tie, this time there is not. And if the DUP do throw their weight behind Theresa May, they will not have nearly a fifth of the amount of say that Nick Clegg had, making their views practically non-existent.
The DUP is, as of right now, still holding out against a coalition with the Tories. Giving Labour time to move forward with their Minority Government plans. Although Labour could win out with their own coalition they are sticking steadfast to their 'no deals' mantra, so there is little reason to hold out hope of a Labour, Green, SNP, etc government.
The EU has offered to wait until we have actually sorted out this giant mess, they won't push back the deadline, but the starting point is there, and having had nearly a year already their preparations are in place. Although this does highlight how screwed the conservatives have left us with their complete lack of any plan, or preparation for the Brexit negotiations, it does take some of the current pressure off.
Finally, coalitions, minority governments and large shadow parties tend to result in a stagnant government, struggling to move forward with anything at all. This means either five years of few changes, or another chance to vote in the coming future on who should govern the country, by which point Brexit should be pretty much over with, leaving the Conservatives no invisible shield to hide behind.
And just in case you forgot;
Comments
Post a Comment