Here in Britain, Theresa May’s election slogan
“Strong Stable” leadership is already jarring like an over-played Eurovision
song contest runner up – it’s irritating but you can’t get it out of your head.
Plus, Theresa May seems to have injected her Conservative party with Strong Stable Tourette’s.
Following Macron’s resounding victory, the UK is
several steps further down the credibility ladder. But in the headache blear of
election fatigue for a campaign that only just began – I ask myself – why does Theresa May need a ‘strong stable’ when the BREXIT horse has
already bolted? (Sorry)
In her blue-stocking way, Theresa May revels in
being called a “bloody difficult woman”. She fashions herself as a cross
between Margaret Thatcher, a starchy nanny dispensing cod-liver-oil and a human
prophylactic against the EU cooperation disease and any chance infection of
common sense. In the process, she whips up more jingoism (if you can imagine squeezing
any more into the UK) by claiming the EU isn’t going to play nice with us.
REALLY!
Following the French victory of common sense and
hope over creeping, craven cowardice, none of this now matters. (Thank heavens
I didn’t have to re-draft this post following news of the results) Britain and
America have placed themselves firmly on the margins of the sensible
collaborative forward-facing world. Both are saved from immediate irrelevance only
by their unhealthily credit-based monster-consumerism and their military. The
main difference is that as soon as Trump is out of office or has his overdue
choking fit on a bolus of un-chewed meat or is impeached – America may crawl
its slow painful way back to integrity. Britain’s situation is not so
reversible.
So, what does May’s strong stable stance mean? Rigid and intransigent or delusional, as Jean Claude Juncker
stated?
It sounds as if May is surprised that negotiations
will be tough. Like Trump was surprised that sorting healthcare for a nation
was complicated.
NB - Jonathan Guber, MIT Economics Professor and
architect of Obama’s Affordable Care Act, referencing the way millions of
vulnerable Americans are to be thrown off healthcare to fund a gigantic tax cut
to the wealthiest, called Trump’s new healthcare bill “The largest pure
redistribution from poor to rich…in one bill” the US has ever seen (MSNBC
interview with Rachel Maddow May 4th 2017).
But back to UK stupidity…
Theresa May seems surprised that the remaining 27
countries in the EU do not want to serve her tea, cake and whatever else she
wants. Many of the electorate – especially those that voted to leave – also
seem to be surprised that Britain’s foot stamping is not working as they whip
themselves into faux-imperialist fervour. Meanwhile, the imminent threats to
all human life - military escalation and environmental decimation - are
somewhere below what’s-on-the-telly in terms of them giving a shit. So here I
am in my alternative universe – as usual – and I don’t get their don’t-getting
– any more than I understand the Remainers who think this is still reversible...
(See blog 207 Brexit means Brexit or
my letter in The Guardian 5th February 2017)
If that blog post didn’t make it clear – try this
doodle.
What did May think was going to happen? What did
Boris Johnson, Fascist Farage and the Leave-without-a-plan camp think was going
to happen?
Macron refers to Brexit as a “crime”. It truly is a crime against
common sense, the future, and the young and hopeful.
Like I said a couple of blogs ago – to hear Theresa
May spout about what she’s going to negotiate from the EU (with her SS
leadership) you would think she was pitching to get Britain IN to the EU not
OUT.
Recently USA
Today reported the Orca whale, Lulu, washed up dead on the coast of the
Scottish island of Tiree after being caught in a fishing net. Aberdeen
University researchers noted it was the most polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) polluted
carcass they have ever examined. Maybe that’s it - our environment is now so
polluted that our brains are poisoned and no one is thinking straight –
certainly not here – certainly not in the US where the Environmental Protection
Agency is run by someone who was a cheerleader for Fracking and doesn’t believe
the planet is in danger (see blog 220)
Guy Verhofstadt – Europe’s Brexit negotiator - is a
Macron fan and sees him reforming the EU, a role David Cameron should have
assumed rather than allowing Farage and Johnson to dance us drunkenly into the
storm while their privilege protects them from any consequences.
*
On a much more positive and fun note – this weekend
is the start of the week-long, huge annual book sale / festival here in Edinburgh
raising funds for Christian Aid. Oodles of books of all genres will be on sale
at bargain prices. I’ll be doing an author slot on Wed 17th May 1pm
with readings from my adult novels, children’s adventure books and my own
dystopian novella Zero One Zero Two
plus comedy poetry and live Q&A. http://edinburghmethodist.com/wp/amanda-baker/
So
If you think the thing that really
matters is having a planet humans can live on, get my sci fi dystopian novella Zero One Zero Two https://www.amazon.com/dp/1539762602