Brexit has certainly given us some amazing things. Division, Chaos, ineptitude, mendacity and incompetence to name just a few. The whole disastrous thing was carefully nurtured for thirty or forty years in small, dusty Conservative Associations, bodies made up of ordinary, swivel eyed right-wing nutters who spent years keeping alive half-forgotten dreams of empire while suffering the occasional touch of dementia. They were the breeding grounds for Brexit.
These associations usually hold meetings in a room above a pub or have their own premises complete with alcohol license. I think it's fair to say that what might have been a bit of nostalgia among drinking companions with a penchant for offering simple solutions to the nation's complex problems after several pints of Old Peculiar, has grown into a monster but the associations can't stop feeding it.
In February they held a national convention which I posted about (HERE) at the time. Somebody tabled a pro-Brexit motion which was then passed by a substantial majority. This is the motion:
"The National Convention supports the commitments the Prime Minister has made to the country to honour the European Union referendum result of 2016, that having triggered Article 50 we will leave the European Union on the 29 March 2019.
"Another referendum, a delay beyond the European elections, taking ‘no deal’ off the table or not leaving at all would betray the 2016 People’s Vote and damage democracy and our party for a generation".
In other words they want Brexit on March 29th come what may, deal or no-deal. They might just tolerate a delay until May when the European elections take place.
Now the convention delegates have taken the motion back to their own local associations and are holding votes on it in each constituency. They suggest that each association debates the same motion at its AGM during this month, substituting the words 'this Association' for 'the National Convention'. ConservativeHome report (HERE) on the progress with a dedicated page giving the rolling total of associations that have adopted the motion so far. As I write this just six have approved it but I expect many more to follow.
Bear in mind we are talking about the party that presents itself as the unionist party and the pro-business party.
The announcement that local Tory associations are doing this and so pressing the PM to opt for a hard, no-deal Brexit comes on the same day that the media carried the following Brexit stories:
These are stories that were in the press yesterday - just one day remember - without provoking mass hysteria or indeed even the slightest expression of concern by any of the parties. We have become numbed by Brexit.
I cannot recall a time in my own life when any political party - even the Monster Raving Loony party - were actively campaigning and pushing hard for a policy that seems deliberately aimed at breaking the United Kingdom and wrecking business. It's as if the Tories have at some time in the recent past introduced a mental aptitude test for new members and only those who fail it are allowed in.
I know they have sunk low in ability and competence (Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javad, Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson are said to be the runners and riders for the leadership - think about it) but to imagine they are blindly pursuing a no-deal Brexit knowing the massive risks is surely the height of insanity.
What is even more amazing is they are still marginally ahead of the Labour party in the polls. Lord help us.
