I confess that the inspiration to write comes naturally. I find rich reserves of motivation within subjects that puzzle, surprise, and overwhelm me; however, on this occasion I wasn’t hankering for an angle when I wrote to a Conservative MP ─ but as the ensuing conversation developed my confusion cranked to the typing trigger. Their identity isn’t important, but the core chilling message is.
I contacted them on a previous occasion regarding an international matter and their response was courteous and professional. One of the new raft of MPs who swept into power following the 2019 General Election, they had – according to then PM Boris Johnson – backed the EU Withdrawal Agreement, prompting the man of his word to proclaim beforehand, “If we get a majority Conservative government we can deliver and there will be no more wrangling or dither or delay.”
As a constituency MP they appeared to be a decent individual, if low-profile parliamentarian. In comparison to other Tory newbies, certainly not as gormless as Lee Anderson – MP for Ashfield ─ or as obnoxious as Jonathan Gullis – MP for Stoke-on-Trent North.
A YouGov poll, published in July 2023, caught my attention, and I perceived it not to be unreasonable to pose the question, “Which column do you occupy?”
Unfortunately, I cannot publish the reply, as when I sought permission to do so they declined. My intention had never been to embarrass them, or trip them up. It was clear, but not surprising, that we didn’t agree on the principal issue, and I am always keen to maintain – as best as I can ─ cordial relationships with others who don’t share my view of the world. In fairness, they may well have been a tad more convivial with me as I was once a member of the Conservative Party and local councillor, although Johnson and his BREXIT baloney brought an end to that. I didn’t perceive anything they said in response to this opening query as unguarded, but I respect their condition; however, my initial question and subsequent replies are protected by the law of copyright. Consequently, you may have to use your imagination on occasions.
On one hand I must credit their candour and conciliatory tone, but on the other this position was – in my opinion – flaky and flawed, since their conclusion was comprehensively contradictory. My response was swift:
Thank you for responding.
The jury isn’t out on BREXIT – it has been (as many predicted) a colossal catastrophe for the UK.
You mention the short-term pain and this disappoints me as you seek to rewrite history – this was never cited as a consequence.
The cost-of-living crisis has been significantly fuelled by BREXIT (LSE), GDP has been wrecked and our international reputation is in tatters.
The toxic sleaze of Johnson (a pathological liar) who championed our annexation continues with false equivalence of newly signed trade deals that are pathetic when compared to membership of the EU. You mention CPTPP – an optimistic uplift in trade of 0.08%.
Our ability to pass domestic legislation was never hampered by the EU – I am sure you understand Parliamentary Supremacy.
Some of the electorate may fall for this false narrative, but not me – and many of my friends think the same (including many that were conned during the 2016 referendum).
BREXIT can never work and the only outcome of this process is that it will make residents of your constituency (and the rest of the UK), poorer, more isolated and frustrated by the loss of freedoms that many took for granted.
I will not be voting Conservative at the next GE.
Regards,
Ian
Less than two hours later, and possibly stinging from various rebukes, including the dismantling of the flagship trade deal that is – at best ─ a smidgin above nothing, and their confusion regarding the power of parliament, my email inbox received another missive that, alas, I cannot publish. In contrast to the YouGov poll data, it was evident that they espoused the ideal that BREXIT was right, whatever the outcomes or circumstances that led up to it.
An unwavering, loyal, and resolute allegiance to anything is defined as fundamentalism: a refusal to hesitate under any circumstances. The noxious trauma of BREXIT has consumed more than just the committed nutters in the wake of its enormous collateral damage; even relatively good people can be possessed. Cognitive dissonance holds the sufferer in a vice-like grip, promoting the frequent acrobatic articulation of nonsense, whilst trying to maintain an air of normality; an exhausting and corrosive state of mind that leaves the individual with little available bandwidth to challenge their thinking, other than seeking to slam the door of denial in the face of the questioner. I wasn’t to be disappointed as they took hold of the handle:
Thanks for your email.
As a cop I would never deal with a victim of fraud by simply saying “suck it up.”
If you are happy to accept a democratic process poisoned, debased, and made invalid by lies on an industrial scale that have harmed the people you represent then I guess this is where our conversation ends.
Regards,
Ian
The resultant door-slamming email was resounding. BREXIT had been done; although even their own Prime Minister would beg to differ on this assertion, as he steers the Windsor Framework into 2025 – a process that seeks to repair the carnage of Johnson’s “Oven ready deal.”
However, was the MP right in stating that I needed to move on? Indeed, was I just as guilty as them in stubbornly holding onto my conviction? I recalled a conversation I had with a senior homicide detective who witnessed several occasions when justice failed. I asked him how he reacted, and his emotion was telling: “I felt angry, upset, and disappointed. You ask yourself whether you did everything you could. Looking for gaps in the investigation, even when there weren’t any.” Did he ever just forget and move on – I think you can guess the answer to this.
Like many ordinary Brits I am not ready to ignore the crime scene, and whilst the super-rich reap the real rewards of chaos capitalism – the only guaranteed gift of BREXIT – the more times a door is slammed in my face, the greater my conviction is that BREXIT wasn’t the perfect heist and justice is only a matter of time.
© Ian Kirke 2023
@ianjkirke
Title photograph by Nik on Unsplash