You would think that there had been no march on Saturday, no five million plus signatures on a petition asking for Article 50 to be revoked. Europe is talking about it, the world is talking about it, the UK government isn’t. No. The day after the march our esteemed Prime Minister met renowned Brexiteer MPs, people who would be quite happy to leave the EU with no deal. The Prime Minister followed this meeting up with a speech where she spoke about the British People (yep, they’re being evoked again but apparently my birth certificate lies and I am not one of them) and how they would not countenance not leaving the EU. No mention of the march, the petition, the fact that the referendum was advisory and not binding, and had it been binding it would have been declared void because of illegal activity by the Leave campaign.
Not. A. Word.
There’s the usual baloney about respecting the ‘will of the people’ respecting ‘the result of the referendum’. Nothing about respecting those who march peacefully, who follow the rules, who do not threaten civil disruption, public mayhem if this goes ahead, who engage in debate not rhetoric and meaningless slogans.
Last year we celebrated the centenary of some women in the UK getting the vote. They won that vote because after years of polite tea drinking with MPs who then ignored them, some women turned to civil disobedience, to violence against people and property. And the vote was won.
I am not for advocating violence. I do not want to see riots in the street for any cause. But I should very much like Teresa May and her cabinet to look at history and consider whether perhaps they should be listening to the reasonable, the peaceful, the angry but non-violent, instead of those who threaten, bully and lie. Because history tells us appeasement is not a good idea.
And to those newspaper owners and proprietors who use inflammatory, emotive language about Brexit, get a grip on yourselves. You have responsibilities, and whipping people up is not responsible journalism. Yes I do mean the Sun, the Express, the Mail, the Telegraph. Shame on you.
Isobel (and Cat)'s Blog 
Very depressing!!!!
I feel angrier than in a long time.
Yes, yes and yes, I find it shocking looking at the red top front pages on the news stands. Hysterical and misleading. The truth is *not* out there.
I just edited to add in the Telegraph, it is equally incendiary, and maybe the Times is too, and the Mirror. There is no attempt at balanced argument, no attempt to see the other side’s point of view. And having Mark Francois on tv and radio is as bad. That man has no understanding of history at all. He seems to honestly believe the UK won the 2WW single handed. How do people like this get elected?
You’ve nailed it, Isobel. A fantastic post. Many thanks.
I’d say it was my pleasure, but there is no pleasure watching my country go through this madness. My French ancestors came here as refugees, for the first time I seriously wonder if I shall be leaving as one. The ramping up of hatred, the swagger of those who style themselves the Brexit Bad Boys, who I would call the swindling crooks, does not bode well for the immediate future.
Your journalistic skills shine through on this, Isobel. Have you thought about sending it to a news outlet? Maybe one you named (after editing the last paragraph). 🙂
I think this is a bit out of date for any newspaper now! But rest assured, we have some very skilful journalists (Marina Hyde and Jonathan Freedland for instance) who are writing great, thought provoking pieces.
I am so grateful for the journalists in the US who present facts and the professionals who have the courage to present thoughtful analysis based on facts and history. Trumps continual lies and mean spirit that results in harm to so many people has a way of wearing on us. I have never had anyone with so little soul be the center of attention for so long. I think at this moment in history in the US, the free press and professional journalists are the bedrock of democracy. It isn’t the presidency, or congress, and even the judiciary has cracks.
I am reading Munich by Robert Harris. Every so often I have to put it down as the parallels with today are painfully sharp.
*Wrong