Equipoise or balance; equilibrium. Edmund Burke concludes his historic work on Conservatism with this idea. Balance in the ship of state; balance in all things.
Balance is critical in every area of life. Balance is maintained as I walk by placing emphasis on one leg before immediately placing my weight and effort on the other. It is the co-ordination which enables an even forward movement and prevents collapse.
This principle of balance is a fundamental given in every area. In every human relationship, there is a balance between my self interest and the need to consider another person’s interest.
When a person stops having due regard for the interests of another person or group of people, that person becomes a bully; taken to extreme, they become criminal having no regard to the legitimate and natural interests of those about them.
What they want, and the way they want it, ecplipses any regard for other people who quickly become victims, despoiled at the behest of the criminal.
This is the mindset we have witnessed from the Extreme Remainers in the UK parliament this last week.
It is an obsessive, narrow, targeted mindset which eclipses and over-rides all consideration of responsibility for their own behaviour towards others and towards the stability of government and indeed the stability of our national life.
The balance in political debate and political reporting has for some time been outraged. The accumulated effect is a disturbing mindset among those who inhabit this privileged bubble – a bubble they inhabit and indulge themselves in at the taxpayers expense. They have started to think in terms of their own propaganda as reality. Dangerous.
They have abandoned due regard for their responsibility in their relationships, and in their function as politicians.
They have therefore disrupted the delicate balance between legislature and Executive. Like all balances, it is preserved because each of the participants has due regard for their own responsibility in the scheme of things.
The House of Commons Speaker has deserted his constitutional position as neutral chairman and abitrator; he has become a player for one team. He allowed what should never have been allowed, namely a debate and decision which has disrupted the balance between legislature and executive.
Speaker Bercow’s decision runs counter to the prevailing current of decision making by parliament itself consequent to the Brexit vote in the 2016 Referendum. It frustrates the current of events, yet solves nothing; instead it creates problems with no resolution in sight. Bercow thereby destroys the vital balance.
20+ Conservative Remainiac MPs voting against their own party and their own manifesto pledges have abandoned a fundamental responsibility to their country and to their party.
The good news is that these longstanding infiltrators have now exposed themselves; the Conservative party has the opportunity to restore its credentials as a right wing party – a party which stands for the protection of UK national interest, heritage and identity.
These EUrophiliacs are so ideologically convinced that they accuse opponents of the very offence they are committing – anti democratic and mounting a coup.
They are manifestly ideologically motivated to the point of disregarding their responsibility for the proper, balanced conduct of government.
They have ostensibly tied the Prime Minister’s hands in negotiations with the EU, deprived him of a majority, encroached unconstitutionally on the prerogative power YET refuse to vote for a General Election to allow the essential and normal corrective to occur.
They are playing at politics, and playing fast and loose not just with our constitution but with our national political stability.
In fact I’d characterise their actions as procedural and conceptual fascism.
They talk about democracy but, as veteran MP John Redwood points out, they have placed the UK in a totally subservient position to the EU.
All is not yet lost, however.
This focus on certain events in a certain way loses sight of the overall context – and I do not mean the context of a Referendum Vote to Leave, and the context of 3 years in which all this was supposed to be sorted out, but wasn’t because Remainers used the levers of power to frustrate the Brexit process [May’s “Withdrawal” Agreement says it all … ]
I mean the other party involved – the EU.
The terms of the extension to October 31st were clear in the published, official preamble to the actual 2 article Decision.
The Withdrawal Agreement as agreed with Theresa May cannot be altered. It’s take it, or leave it.
Moreover, the EU is also sick of Brexit. There is no great appetite to continue going round in circles of indecision, extending this endless limbo.
The EU has triumphed so far on every front: its arrogance has succeeded way beyond its initial hopes and dreams. Given its view that Brexit will do appalling damage to the UK [total nonsense of course: like leaving the ERM in 1992, it will initiate a period of marked success and recovery], they may well arrogantly refuse another extension.
That way they can retain the initiative and continue to be seen as the Masters of this situation: everyone must know that to leave the Cosa Nostra will have serious consequences for your health. Macron has been very clear …
Given the appalling falsehood peddled by the EU and the current pc Irish Premier over the Irish land border, they will see the No Deal Brexit as a golden opportunity to blame the UK for the imposition of EU border controls.
Being an Ideological and Imperial Project, the EU is virtually blind to the economic consequences for its constituent countries exports to the UK. Its arrogance and self belief is such that it may well despise losing the UK’s net £10-12 billion annual budget payment.
Remember, too, that all 27 countries will need to agree yet another extension. And the UK Prime Minister must agree as well.
Boris Johnson knows what is at stake. The very survival of the Conservative party. Failure to leave on October 31st will see the fortunes of the Brexit party take off. This time the challenge could be lethal.
Ray Catlin
Conservatism Institute 