The referendum of
23rd June this year has unleashed some pretty nasty public
displays of bigotry, intolerance if not downright racism and has
shown a worrying disregard to facts and logic. Yes I did vote to
remain but I fully accept the result and we have to leave the EU.
However the reaction to the decision of the High Court (03/11/2016)
in some quarters cannot be excused as a mere excess of febrility.
Below are some of the headlines (04/11/2016) in the printed media:
Daily Telegraph:-
“The Judges
versus the people”
Nigel Farage
quoted as saying:
“Voters
aren't going to let this incredible
arrogance lie”
Daily Mail:-
“Enemies of
the people (Fury over 'out of touch' judges who defied 17.4m
Brexit voters and could trigger a constitutional crisis”
Daily Express:-
“We must get
out of the EU
Three judges
yesterday blocked Brexit
Now your country
really does need you...”
Sun:-
“Who do EU
think you are?
Judges Brexit blow.
Loaded foreign elite defy will of Brit voters”
Some facts:
1) Referendum
result: Leave 17,410,742 (51.9%); Remain 16,141,241 (48.1%) (BBC
News). So while these newspapers might want you to believe that some
great injustice has or is about to be imposed on the British people
there are many millions who probably consider this result to be
pretty evenly balanced. As for arrogance I think these figures
suggest that it would at the very least be mis-placed by either
party.
2) The judgement was
about process not the substantive issue. In simple terms the exercise
of the Royal prerogative is constrained by existing Acts of
Parliament (1610) and the Bill of Rights 1688. Membership of the EU
conferred on British Citizens rights via the European Act of 1972. It
follows that any attempt to remove or contemplate such removal of
those rights has to receive the approval of Parliament. Monarchs once
claimed the Divine right to rule – 1610 and 1688 said no –
Parliament is sovereign!
“(The
Lord Chief Justice said the Government’s attempts to trigger
Article 50 without consulting MPs were “contrary to the fundamental
constitutional principles of the sovereignty of Parliament”. The
judgement concludes: “We decide that the Government does not have
the power under the Crown’s prerogative to give notice pursuant to
Article 50 for the UK to withdraw from the European Union.)”
Courtesy Independent 04/11/2016.
Since the judgement
is about process Brexit is not blocked!
3) Trust the Sun to
nuance dislike and mis-trust of non indigenous British people.
“The
People’s Challenge is a crowd-funded coalition of citizens against
Brexit, including members who are ex-pats living abroad, as well as
citizens in Gibraltar and Northern Ireland. Investment manager Gina
Miller and hairdresser Deir Dos Santos were also chief claimants in
the case against the Government.”Courtesy Independent 04/11/2016.
4)
Speaking as a person residing in the Provinces (Cheshire actually) to
hear metropolitan newspapers talk about an elite and out of touch
just makes me laugh – they really ought to get out more! Do more
real research and analysis and stop portraying gossip as reality.
