THE NEWS WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR
Baron Frankal
Chief Executive at The Portland Trust | Manchester Airports Group | NHS | Dept for International Trade | Foreign Office | European Central Bank | Visit Oman | New Economy (GMCA) | CMS Cameron McKenna
Like everyone else, I've had no idea which way britain's brexit-induced political nervous breakdown was going to lurch next. While staying in the eu seems to have become just-about the least-worst outcome for just-about a majority, it's been difficult to see how this would happen. My dictum was always don't watch the politics, watch the process, though even on what may have been the most momentous day in parliament in living memory, the bbc were still talking about how it will "determine theresa may's future". The root cause of the chaos was parliament's abdication of its responsibility in a parliamentary democracy to make decisions, the consequence of asking the people being the need to carry out their expressed will. It has always seemed the case that what the people do, only the people can undo, hence this growing exit-from-chaos move towards just staying in warts-and-all has found expression in the "people's vote" campaign. Today, the commentariat are seizing on the impact of parliament asserting its authority over government though the "humble address" and then successfully doubling down and inserting itself more forcefully into the government's action should its seemingly-doomed deal fail to muster a majority. It could lead us more softly towards norway: the second defeat gives the government a route to losing the vote on its deal but still avoiding no deal. Something equally momentous though happened over in the court brexiteers love to hate. Today we found out rather clearly that should britain want to ditch brexit altogether, it can easily do so, and all on its own. OK, it's just an advocate-general's opinion not the Court, but it is highly unlikely the Court will not follow this when it rules in the next weeks. This is hugely significant as it removes the 27's potential leverage should britain decide to u-turn, meaning it can keep its current deal, rebate and all, and simply snap back to "normal" as if nothing ever happened. All britain needs to do now then is to take back control and assert the sovereignty the ecj has confirmed it has always had. When we look back at when the supertanker started turning around, today may just be the day.
https://www.baronfrankal.com/blog
CEO @ Helm
5 年It would be an incredible u-turn after the turmoil in the UK this last 18 months.......
AWS Solutions Architect
5 年Erudite analysis, Baron. I’m starting to hear an interesting argument emerging around a second vote being a check on misinformation and fake news. Has the impact of Cambridge Analytica and other social media manipulation been underestimated?