Thursday 13 October 2016

Theresa May finds that a week is a long time in politics

Just a week ago, Theresa May was basking in the glow of a successful Tory conference. Unlike David Cameron, who was never truly comfortable getting down and dirty with the unwashed masses of the membership, May loves it. Hold a mirror to Tory middle England and you may just find Theresa May staring back at you.

But being Prime Minister is not about taking the platitudes from those that love you. It is about running the country. Sadly Theresa May was prepared to sacrifice the economic wellbeing of the UK for a nice ovation. A statesman would have told the conference the harsh truth. If we botch Brexit and spook the markets, then we will suffer huge financial damage. Therefore we need a coherent plan to ease ourselves into a new situation. Grandstanding and rash statements, made purely to eke out a minor political advantage are dangerous and stupid. Sadly May threw caution to the wind. She announced that article 50 would be served by the end of spring 2017.

This has lead to crash in Sterling. The right wing press have dishonestly been presenting this as a good thing for the UK. This morning, we wake to the reality. Pot noodles and Marmite are disappearing from the shelves of our supermarkets, as suppliers hike prices to pay for a weak pound. The truth is that Xmas 2016 is likely to be an expensive affair, if you can actually get hold of anything. As sterling continues to plunge, foreign suppliers will become ever more cautious of UK trade. This will hit exporters and importers. The truth is that no one wants Sterling right now. It is headed in one direction. What is worse is that this is a mess entirely made by theConservative  party.

Yesterday Jeremy Corbyn soundly thrashed May at PMQ's. This was the second time in succession he's won. Have a look on iPlayer if you don't believe me. Whereas Cameron had the measure of Corbyn, May is looking ever more out of her depth. Her own side looked rattled. How did Corbyn do this? He simply asked obvious questions with sensible follow ups. The fact May floundered must have set alarm bells ringing on the Tory back benches. If Corbyn can win this easily, they will soon get spooked.

The truth is rabid Brexiteers want us out with unseemly haste and no regard to economic reality. The reason is becoming clearer by the day. They know that the more sensible scrutiny we have of the process, the more it unravels. Get out before the bills start arriving. I just don't understand why they are getting such an easy ride.


No comments: