I am so bored by the EU referendum campaign.
I am as bored by its television representation that both, whether by plan or not, makes it clear that this is Conservative in-fighting and at the same time ignores anything anyone else has to say.
And I am very worried that in all this the real political issues that need to be addressed in this country are being ignored, and will be if Brexit is to happen as the entire political capital of governments to come is expended on creating new regulation to replace the reasonably functional arrangements that we already have.
As an exercise in neutering the role of both politics and government Brexit has been the best diversion those who have a deep dislike of both democracy and the state could have come up with. It is, to be blunt, working at that level, and worryingly is likely to do so for a long time to come.
So let me remind you whilst all this is going on our state is being sold off.
Inequality is rising.
The economy is under-performing.
We still face another banking crisis as the issues from 2008 have yet to be addressed.
The north-south divide is growing.
The housing situation is getting worse.
Student debt is crushing opportunity.
Class sizes are growing out of control.
Food banks are continuing.
Universal credit is not working.
Social security sanctions are delivering misery to many.
Businesses are failing.
Real ages remain insufficient to make ends meet for far too many.
The tax gap remains out of control.
HMRC is being torn apart by politicians who do not want to collect tax so that they have an excuse to shrink the state.
The NHS is at breaking point.
The court system may already be broken.
The planet is burning.
Biodiversity is reducing.
Mental health services are hopelessly inadequate to meet need.
And we are wasting our time debating whether to change the terms of trade with Europe in ways that will have no real impact at all at the end of the day, because we will remain wholly EU compliant, come what may.
Could it be that we're suffering the greatest political con trick of all time?
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It’s the biggest dead cat they have ever thrown on the table.
Yes indeed.
My partner is a teacher and her headmistress was telling her that for every vacancy she used to receive around 50 applications.
Now she is lucky if she receives 5.
Two new teachers are leaving my partner’s school at the end of the summer term – they are young people – in their 20’s and have had enough because they are spending too much time in their own time doing their paper work that demonstrates (apparently) that the school is managed properly. They are both well-educated and can get paid more for having a job and a life elsewhere.
My partner (52) is paid as part-time teacher for 2.5 days a week but soon fills up the rest of the week (unpaid) to mark work and talk to her fellow part-timer about the class and work progression. Even weekends.
The present system is unsustainable and this is being done on purpose so that it collapses into the arms of the private sector.
It is failure by design and it is criminal. How can children learn with knackered staff around them?
(Sorry Nick – I broke my promise not to come back until next Wednesday. I’ll try again).
I agree with all that
All state paid professions suffer this problem
I left teaching 3 years ago for the same reasons the two young teachers at your partners school did. When you’re up until 1am most nights and working over half the weekend, and still unable to keep up with the workload, something is very wrong!
Yes !!!!!!! A great diversionary tactic, as will be the negotiations should brexit occur.
Yes, con trick that should be so transparent if done only by politicians but problem is sheer extent of media complicity – and prevailing influence of anti-Corbyn Labour PLP lacking what you rightly label Courage.
Typified by media organising debates void of left-remain perspective, because Remain – rather than broaden its appeal – is guided by a stronger urge to resist any inclusion of issues they don’t want to even acknowledge after and if Remain wins.
I’m not experiencing boredom with this tragic EU referedum farce; it’s frustration and anger.
The PM has decided to put the future prosperity, security and global position of the UK at risk to win a civil war in the Tory party that has been festering for a long time. It is, of course, politically convenient for the Government as it distracts public attention from the long and growing list of problems you enumerate. In addition, the Brexiteers are cleverly selecting some of these problems and laying them, entirely unfairly and unjustifiably, at the door of the EU. Their hope is that the discontents these problems provoke will boost the Brexit vote. And they may well be right. Despite the bookies and the so-called “smart money” continuing to indicate their confidence that the remain side will win, I have an uneasy feeling that underlying public discontents on so many levels will generate a Brexit victory.
The 9 million or so Labour voters in May (and any other supporters who didn’t turn out) are facing numerous conflicts and it may result in many of them sitting on their hands. It’s very clear that Labour’s current High Command draws on a strong anti-Common Market and Eurosceptic tradition. It’s heart clearly isn’t in supporting Britain’s continued participation in what many of them see as a multinational institution for implementing neoliberalism. And the argument that Brexit would result in a bonfire of workers’ rights established and protected by the EU plays right in to the hands of those who say that the EU imposes rules and regulations that override the settled positions of British voters and their MPs. And many Labour supporters will not be enthused about the prospect of voting remain to save the skin of a Tory PM who is dismantling the state bit by bit. Add in the numerous Labour supporters who have serious concerns about the impacts of immigration and Brexit is looking even more likely.
Tackling the list of problems you enumerate will then become even more challenging.
Paul, I very much agree with you, I am not bored by the referendum, but angered by the fact we’re even having it, and appalled at the stupidity, cynicism and dishonesty of the anti EU campaign. I’ve already voted by postal ballot to stay in, but I feel, for many of the reasons you state, that we’re heading for a Leave victory.
Which will be a victory for a bunch of people who have lied repeatedly about the money the UK contributes to the EU,have lied about the fact that this money will not be used to boost public services, and, above all, are playing the populist trick of blaming all of society’s problems on immigration. As others have said, the only reason we’re having this referendum is Cameron’s gutlessness in not standing up to the Tory Europhobes, and Farage.
Whatever the shortcomings of the EU (and what human organisation, especially such a large and complex one, is ever perfect) it is at heart an organisation set up to ensure the horrific conflicts of the past are not repeated in Europe. Hence political and economic union; cooperation rather than nationalistic conflict.
And now that charlatan Farage has got his way and we have this dangerous farce of a referendum. And if we leave, the equally awful xenophobes that Ukip allied themselves with will be emboldened to try the same thing in their countries. As if there aren’t enough problems in thne world already.
Cameron will be remembered for this debacle, regardless of the outcome. It will be his Poll Tax, but much much worse.
Undoubtedly this pointless Referendum is the greatest “distraction burglary” in history. Not just a “con trick”, but a “Con trick”, for these “CONservatives” are not just “the Nasty Party”, they are also the “Con-artist” Party.
What WOULD Peel, Disraeli, Baldwin, Churchill, Macmillan and Heath say, if they met the Con-artist” Party? They certainly wouldn’t recognise it as a worthwhile player on the current political stage, especially in light of the widespread electoral fraud it would appear the Con-artist” Party practised at the last General Election.
This, if proven, sits well with a Party and Government that appears to be composed of practitioners of the trickster’s well-known “three shell” or “three card” scam.
Never waste a good distraction.
To pick out one item from your list:
The he media have lost interest in food banks; and I suspect that the most effective actors in emergency food supply have been muzzled by the threat of noncooperation from the DWP.
Not to mention:
Hinkley Point C
Conservative election expenses scandal
Selling of the Land Registry
Air pollution in cities rising
Social services at breaking point
Human rights laws at risk………….
… And the biggest balance of payments deficit in our recorded history. (As per Private Eye) what could possibly go wrong?
You forgot to mention that London is now the most corrupt place on earth!
I bet Cameron didn’t whisper that in the Queen’s ear either!!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/the-uk-is-a-global-corruption-centre-campaigners-claim-a7058126.html
And big business and the 1% are very, very happy!
On climate change I was interested to recently read that of the 177 countries that took part in the Paris climate change “conference” – where we were assured the planet was to be saved through swift and coordinated action – only 16 actually ratified the agreement when they met for the signing event in New York. Of these 13 are island nations. In any case the agreement only becomes actionable if 55 countries sign, although they have until next April to do so – so perhaps. Then again, as any country is free to leave the agreement at any time I can’t say anyone ought to have much confidence in what seems to me to have been yet another example of a climate change con-trick. Mass coral bleachings will be the least of our childrens’ worries that’s for sure.
The US won’t sign as the Republicans are still living in denial of climate change and control Congress, so that probably means the Chinese won’t sign (why should they when the “leader” of the “free” world won’t), then the Russians won’t sign because they can’t afford to (and why should they when the “leader” of the “free” world won’t), then a whole load of other high polluting nations won’t sign on the basis of “unfair competition” and so the whole thing will have been yet another gush of hot air from politicians who can’t commit to save the planet!
That’s what you get with our current economic and political system – inability to act on existential crises. The lemmings are truly ruling the world now!
The points made both by Richard & others are very good. But I’d suggest they are symptoms. My hypothesis with respect to causes are partially encapsulated in the Nick Duffell book “The Making of Them” (British Attitudes to Chhildren & the Boarding School System). UK elites are to a great extent severly psychologically damaged by their (boarding school) “education”. This damage feeds over into govermnet policy (or lack thereof) and its on-going failure in most areas. A significant segment of the current Uk cabinet need psychological help – they and a large part of the governing elite are thus part of the problem & thus cannot be part of the solution. I can recommend the book – it provides much needed perspective & insight into who (has got us where we are) and thus how to extricate ourselves.
I have to admit I do not think everything can be blamed on boarding schools
Maybe not, but it is a most peculiar way to treat young children in particular.
For older teenagers I agree it can be “character building” to spend an increasing amount of time away from home and family, but for young children I really do question the value it brings to be separated from family life for such long periods.
I have met some men and women totally traumatised (most probably for life) by their childhood at boarding school, some have a very warped view of the real world, while many others go onto to be well rounded individuals.
Survival of the fittest type of education is hardly what we need in a modern world in my view. But it seems to suit certain sections of society very well!
Under 11 I would entirely agree
At 13 I would have gained enormously
Something so precious as nurturing a child, no , it must not be outsourced. When my son,s would tell me that those who did board at their school used to cry, it made me so angry as well as sad. I suppose it depends on the home life.
I would suggest you are right Mike Parr. I only have empirical evidence, some of my colleagues boarded their children, it is anathema to me, not because I am unique, it is the hardest thing rearing the little blighters and it is on the job learning. Just saying, more love needed.
The main thing is to know your children. You should be able to tell whether they would do well at a boarding school or not – should the very expensive option be available.
The whole Brexit debate is an unnecessary and dangerous journey back into nationalist obsessions. It reveals how tragically out of touch Britain is with today’s Global realities. Tory politicians who hanker for the past are forcing us to go through a redundant 20th century debate about whether we should be part of Europe, when the real issues are about how we can achieve more effective Global coordination of policies.
Ending tax havens, implementing carbon pricing, and properly regulating Global financial system will all be impossible without new approaches to Global governance. Being a leading member within the EU gives Britain the best opportunity to influence and bring about these changes. The Tories are either incredibly stupid as they continue to live in an imaginary World where national regulation can control Global commerce, or very clever as they distract from a Global anarchy that today benefits only the top 1%.
The one good think which may emerge if “Remain” wins the day is the clear analysis of just how much we gain from international cooperation, even though we find it uncomfortable. How much greater then would be the benefits from a Global Economic Community, which could replace neo-liberal anarchy with a properly regulated Global marketplace.
Robert P Bruce
https://youtu.be/eeAvBvf_N6I
As Claire says, the largest ‘dead cat’ yet seen thrown onto the table…
Looking down that list of hugely important issues, it’s telling that the Brexiters are suggesting that immigration (with the EU as the main cause of immigration) is the primary or a significant driver of at least half those problems. So leaving the EU will somehow solve the pressures on the NHS, crowded schools, housing, low paid jobs etc, etc
As other commentators have noted, including I think Boris Johnson in one of his many previous incarnations, if and when the UK leaves the EU, the awful truth will dawn that these problems are overwhelmingly of the UK’s own making. Leaving the EU will have a negative impact on the economy in the short to medium term that even the Brexiters acknowledge, and in the long term if the overwhelming majority of economists are to be believed. It’s hard to see how this will help to alleviate any of those problems.
So I can understand the anger that many feel and the desire to protest, and vote for change regardless of what that change might lead to. But for me There are parallels widen when poverty and disempowerment leads people to burn and destroy their neighbourhood, be it Tottenham, Nairobi or Los Angeles. It perhaps releases the anger in the short term and certainly attracts attention, but does little to address the underlying problems. And it results in too many casualties amongst those who are already suffering the most, whilst having next to no impact on those who benefit the most
You make a good point
The Brexiter’s delight is blaming ‘them over there’. It is a standard political ruse – it is one reason why politicians love to hate tax havens
Bringing the issue to Westminster will make them very uncomfortable
And the TUCs report (also posted on another TJ blog) makes the point about who stands to suffer the most from a UK exit
https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/BetteroffIN2.pdf
Loved this BBC interview smackdown from Ken Loach!
http://www.thecanary.co/2016/05/27/national-treasure-ken-loach-just-delivered-epic-smackdown-bbc-interview-video/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03w05r0
Brill wasn’t it
Agree with the sentiment of the post – just think of the reality of a renegotiation after Brexit. It is likely to lead to a government which will probably having to ignore any problems other than renegotiation, with is likely to consume all the country’s effort and resources.
Meanwhile, for a little light relief, it seems that, in a gross assault on human rights, burning the EU flag has been rendered impossible by virtue of EU regulations:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/03/31/eu-flag-burning-fail-video_n_6977458.html
Saw that on Facebook. Delicious.
One ‘good’ thing that could come out of this farce is to throw yet more intense light on the jabbering irrelevance of the political class which is already at a low point. A new low has been revealed and the feeling that the public is being treated like fools is bubbling to the surface. I think Jon Snow of Channel 4 has called it (I paraphrase) the most vacuous political campaign in his memory (and he’s been around some time).
Labour Leadership has had to suppress its anti-EU background and the leading Tory Brexiters are dripping greasy condescension from all pores. The sight of Priti Patel and Johnson suddenly displaying faux concern for workers rights and Patel, in particular suddenly evincing concern for the poor and the indifference of the rich is pure ‘forked tongue’ speech as these people have supported the neo-liberal hammering of the poor/ill/vulnerable to the nth degree.
Maybe it is good that these ‘mouth-farters’ (on both sides) make complete arses of themselves as the public has yet another non-choice before them both likely to leave them high and dry and the wealth syphoners untouched.
I’m still undecided and feel angry that I’m put in this position by a bunch of incompetent fraudsters. I’m veering towards abstain but still feel that an out vote could work in the light of the statements by Patel and Johnson and there feigned concern for the ‘ordinary person.’ They will not be able to deliver on this yet are on the record now -so an out vote may reveal their emperor’s new clothes. This ‘dialectical’ appraoch still makes sense to me but I’m for from sure-it may well have to be the blindfold and dart technique in the booth.
Typo alert, Richard -‘Real ages remain insufficient to make ends meet for far too many’.
It could be said that the ”Real ages’ of politicians remain insufficient to provide a proper debate for far too many’
Your list, Richard, has all the proper ingredients of a transformation debate-it will take a few more years to remotely get there -luckily you’re far from the giving up type!
CANNIT REALLY DISAGREE BUT WILL STILL BE VOTING LEAVE.
For your amusement Richard, another issue being ignored:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-06-01/stunning-satellite-images-global-tanker-traffic-jams
Amazing
I think the price of storing it is greater than the selling price-so presumable it will be kept floating until the price reaches a certain point.
If they keep it floating around too long, any price they get will be dwarfed by the cost of tanker rental.
Production is rising, consumption is falling; there is no soft landing in sight.
The over-produce-to-bust-shale-production tactic failed when technology enabled cheaper shale production, some producers are in “profit” at a shade over $32/brl.
All the OPEC producers have done is run into serious financial problems…oh well, I’ll break into tears next week.
Things get really interesting when (if) Trump gets elected….since Hilary looks likely to be facing serious legal (criminal-legal) problems soon, it may well be Trump V Nobody.
Meanwhile, back in the real world…..Russia is back with MIRVed MIRVes….saturation nuclear bombing….the UK, ever likely to back a loser, is moving heavy armour into storage near the borders of Russia, to be met by a new Russian tank battalion 10-times larger.
France, meanwhile, in a frantic burst of green morality, is banning fracking: and also buying large quantities of LPG…..from USA fracking: a frantic burst of hypocrisy.
Yep: The world is hotting-up in more ways than heat…
I had to laugh, Richard, at your artistic depiction of the EU referendum campaign in terms of Venn diagrams.
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/06/01/venn-diagrams-for-our-times-the-eu-referendum-campaigns/
But joking aside, there are some serious issues at stake here, and you have put your finger on some very deep rifts in our society. I too have found myself feeling disengaged with the EU debate, and thinking that there are much more important things to be concerned about. But what a missed opportunity! If we seriously want to Bremain on June 23rd, for whatever reasons that might personally motivate us, then we have to get the positive message out, or we may find ourselves sleepwalking into a Brexit.
Therefore I have to disagree with your Venn diagram of two non-intersecting circles. Reality is the whole picture, that contains everything. Against the EU referendum debate you might counterpose a circle for ‘the issues that really matter’, like you have named above, and which we hear very little about in the campaign.
The reality about the debate is that it is a comedy of errors. The first error was Cameron calling for a referendum which he now might lose. Then the Brexiteers are quoting that ridiculous figure of £350 million pounds which the EU allegedly costs us each week, while the Remain camp line up all the heavyweights from the Treasury down to the entertainment industry to patronisingly tell us why we can’t afford to leave. Really, don’t they think the British public can make up their own minds? But the positive case has to be presented, because mass disengagement is the risk of all this negative campaigning, and these issues are too important to leave to the volatile swings of public opinion.
Whether we Bremain or whether we Brexit, we are going to have to cooperate with each other. And whether we are in the EU or out of it is just a question of how we structure our human government. But our potential for influencing both the government of the EU and the wider world would be greatly enhanced by our membership. If we can put aside the idea that we are just fighting our own corner and rise to the common challenges we all face, then we will be equipped to respond humanely and decisively in every situation. The EU was created with a promise of peace and prosperity, to relieve war-torn Europe of its battle weariness and support a civilisation where culture and life would flourish. These ideals are being gradually worn away with the generations as neoliberalism has become the fashionable trend. But the flame of hope has not died, and if it can be rekindled then a glorious future could await the people of Europe when they cast away the mantle of suspicion and fear, to assume their destiny as citizens of a world we yet wait to see.
I’m not imagining utopia, just a better world than the one we have at present. But we have to make it happen.
Brexit or Bremain ultimately do not matter, but if we want to cooperate, leaving the EU is not going to make it any easier to find true friends.
Thank you
I suspect the campaigns from both sides, and the associated media coverage, are deliberately designed to turn off the majority of voters on purpose (with positive campaigning for staying in the EU ignored) to encourage voter apathy. Since the Leave campaign have effectively stated that a low turnout would benefit them, since Brexit contains a cohort of voters who decided even before the referendum was announced, namely the UKIP voters!
I agree on the importance of those other matters. Now that we know the EURef will change little with the Norway option almost certain, government should focus on less trivial matters. In the new politics I’d propose a committee of people like our host, Caroline Lucas, the excellent Andrew Dickie with the empathy of Carol Wilcox to establish the priorities of the day and assign task forces with QE funding to resolve them. Some might say that is not democratic, but this is about pressing issues not process.
Yes, indeed there are limits to Democracy. Avoiding “rule by the mass of the people” is part of the Genius of the EU. The recent election in Austria is a salutary reminder, as was our own GE last year. The UKIP result was deeply disturbing, has led to this ludicrous referendum, and remains a potential issue in the future. The EU needs to look again at what parties are acceptable and which are not.
The committee idea makes great sense. I don’t expect my doctor to stand for periodic election, and it’s clear that the campaigning part of politics is a huge distraction. This leads to a situation where the likes of Osborne can be Chancellor, whilst Thinkers of the status of Prof Murphy are excluded.
That sounds incredibly anti-democratic Joan, verging on the autocratic in my view if you think that legitimate political parties should be limited to prevent dissent.
May I suggest that the rise of extreme elements in society is often (perhaps always) caused by the failure of the prevailing economic and political narrative/direction to improve the lot of the majority (because it is has been captured by, and for the benefit, of the minority).
“rule by the mass of the people” is democracy – you can’t have democracy and then say we don’t want to allow people to exercise their right to vote the way they want (excluding the agreed exceptions of those that incite violence, hatred and intolerance)
Whether we have a civilised and educated and responsible mass of people today, is unfortunately the result of the failed political and economic choices of the past (in my view). We should definitely correct that as soon as possible!
This is a good “rock and a hard place” article for those who would like to see both a reformed UK and a reformed EU, and still wondering how best to vote in the EU referendum.
http://anotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/brexit-out-of-frying-pan-into-fire.html
Yes, a good piece. I like his challenge to the arguments about the EUs ‘lack of democracy’ by contrasting it with the U.K. Spot on
One can also challenge those arguing about the ‘bloated bureaucracy’ by asking them how many people work there… I bet you virtually none of them know. Then ask how many work in a large local authority or government department. Most won’t know that either. Tends to surprise people that the EC is not nearly as big as they thought for what it does for so many countries. Or ask them what proportion of the budget goes into those ‘bloated salaries’
Oh well, it’s been a pretty fact free debate all round sadly
It’s coming up to 5:30 am here in Southern Oregon and, as per usual, I have dipped into the latest postings from Tax Research. Part of me, a large part of me, is sickened by what seems to be going on in this world with the EU referendum and the US Presidential election being the two most glaringly terrible examples. But this old Brit (London-born in 1944) has this sense that the way that Richard and so many of his supporters can now ‘shout’ out the truth will, in the end, deliver a better future. Indeed, my own blog post today is called The Power of Open Opinions.
So keep on banging your truthful drum, Richard!
Thanks
I will
Two articles in two days illustrating the amount of government intervention/suppression/redaction/burying of research paid for by public money.
Not just here, but everywhere it seems – even the UN!
Yet another example that representative politics has become a corrupted institutional concept in my view.
http://www.thecanary.co/2016/06/02/great-barrier-reef-shock-un-climate-change-report-modifications/
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/whitehall-government-no-record-of-25bn-spending-public-policy-research-a7060236.html
Useful link to Corporate Welfare Watch, the site provides a good definition of Corporate Welfare (pretty much what Richard covers):
‘
‘Working tax credits subsidise the wages bill. Housing benefits are diverted to wealthy landlords. The NHS ensures that workers remain healthy and productive. And huge amounts of public money each year are used to purchase goods and services from private companies — from the pharmaceutical industry to companies that are contracted to provide direct services to government. In reality many of these so-called private businesses are entirely dependent on the state, and do not trade with regular customers or other private sector actors. These various interactions, engagements and transactions between the public and private sectors together help to ensure that the risks that would otherwise accrue to private companies are socialised’