Do not go gentle into Brexit shite.
Just look at how it’s ruined the UK.
Rage, rage against the lying of the Right.
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Leave voters fell for snake-oil salesmen’s hype,
Choosing to ignore the voice of sanity,
Do not go gentle into Brexit shite.
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But Murdoch, Johnson, Farage and their like
Spread hatred, fear, deceit and disarray.
Rage, rage against the lying of the Right.
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Nor did Remainers go without a fight,
Campaigning, marching, exhorting every day,
Do not go gentle into Brexit shite.
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Old Remainers, although with fading sight,
Can still see clearly we were right to say,
Rage, rage against the lying of the Right.
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Curses on the villains who caused our plight.
Let British bells toll their demise, I pray.
Do not go gentle into Brexit shite.
Rage, rage against the lying of the Right.
Ɖ Comnz standdz-cmiti z rît ɖt ɖ formr guvnmntministr mst b sspndd fr sx́l haṛsmnt
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Ʈrzde, 6 Jlî 2023
A yir ago on Frîde, Boris Jonsn anǎnst hiz reẓgneśn az prîm̦inistr. Hiz Dǎnñ Strīt stetmnt signld ɖ end v probbli ɖ wrst n srtnli ɖ most ceotic guvnmnt in modn Britiś hisṭri. Bt it olso bròt an end t wn v Britn’z most mizṛbli conṣqnśl admiṇstreśnz v rīsnt tîmz, ẃć tc – or in sm cesz feld t tec – ax́nz fr ẃć ɖs cuntri z stl peyñ ɖ prîs, ẃl ɖ man himslf cônz it on ɖ inṭnaśnl spīć-mcñ srcit.
Mr Jonsn hd prizîdd, f ɖt z ɖ rît wrd fr smwn so narssistic n slapdaś, ovr ɖ guvnmnt v ɖ dzastṛs Brexit dīl; ovr ɖ boćt rspons t ɖ Covid pandemic (ɖ corts rūld on Ʈrzde ɖt Mr Jonsn’z unridactd pandemic-ira ẂtsAps wl b handd t ɖ Covid inqîri); n hz śoud a slfiś disrigard, vrjñ on c’rupśn, twdz mni v ɖ most besic rūlz n eʈics v guvnmnt. A yir ago it wz clir ɖt h dd nt unḍstand h wz nt p t ɖ job. Ɖt z stl tru a yir on. In a ny inṭvy, asct abt ɖ ivnts ɖt léd p t hiz reẓgneśn, h līnz hiz hed t wn sîd n pritndz t snor. H jst dz’nt gt it. Bt h jst dz’nt cer îɖr.
Ʈrzde’z rport on ɖ Cris Pinćr ces pṛvîdz a tōdri n wel-tîmd rmîndr v ẃ Britn z so wel rid – w hop – v Mr Jonsn. In lêt Jūn last yir, Mr Pinćr, ɖen ɖ Jonsn guvnmnt’s depyti ćīf ẃip, got xtrimli drunc at ɖ Cnsrṿtiv Carltn Club. In ɖ club bar, witnist bî felo MPz, h sx̣́li haṛst n gropt tū men, huz cmplents bcem comn nolij. Mr Pinćr rzînd fṛm ɖ guvnmnt ɖ nxt de.
Caṛcṭristicli, Mr Jonsn rspondd bî fênñ ignṛns abt ɖ MP’z caṛctr. Ɖs wz a lî. Mr Jonsn, ẃn foṛn secṛtri undr T’rīza Me, hd in fact bn wornd in prsn abt Mr Pinćr’z conduct. Ɖt reṿleśn wz ɖ fînl strw fr mni Tori ministrz abt ɖer olrdi dscredtd līdr, n hlpt t trigr Mr Jonsn’z reẓgneśn a fy dez lêtr. Ɖ Comnz standdz-cmiti hz nǎ rūld ɖt Mr Pinćr’z conduct wz in’proprịt, daṃjñ, an abys v pǎr, n brīćt ɖ parḷmntri cod v conduct. Ɖ cmiti z unqsćṇbli rît. Ɖr cn b no uɖr cncluźn fṛm ɖer rport, nt līst in ɖ wīc ẃn BBC Nyznît rportd ɖt a sx̣́li preḍtri culćr rmenz prevḷnt at Wsminstr.
Mr Pinćr fesz an et-wīc sspnśn fṛm ɖ Comnz, inuf t trigr a rcōl-ptiśn amñ votrz in hiz Tamwrʈ cnstitẏnsi. Hiz dez az a MP r clirli numbrd, n h me rzîn enwe. Ɖs wd trigr ɖ forʈ dificlt bîilex́n fr ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti ɖs sumr, folowñ ɖ ʈri dy in tū wīcs’ tîm in Selbi n Ênsti, Suṃton n Frǒm n Mr Jonsn’z formr sīt v Uxbrij n Sǎʈ Rîslip.
A yir ago, ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti hd a ćans v rīgrūpñ n rnywñ. It hz feld t d so undr îɖr v its post-Jonsn līdrz. Twelv munʈs on, ɖ guvnmnt z haplisli obsest wɖ mîgreśn n culćrworz rɖr ɖn ɖ icoṇmi, ɖ cost v livñ n ɖ hlʈsrvis. Cnsrṿtiv MPz r stl peyñ ɖ prîs fr Mr Jonsn’z fełrz n lo standdz n, in cesz lîc ɖt v Mr Pinćr, ɖer ǒn. Mr Jonsn me hv muvd on. Bt ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti, ẃć h tentd so dīpli n daṃjñli in so mni wez, hz nt.
It z īzi t oṿlc ɖ fact ɖt smʈñ larjr z at stec amd ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti’z midsumr mêhem. Smʈñ larjr, fr śr, ɖn Boris Jonsn’z petyḷns or Nedīn Doriz’ atnśnsīcñ. Smʈñ afctñ s ol, nt jst ɖ Tori parti. Smʈñ ɖt unḍlîz evrʈñ els abt cuṛnt Britiś poḷtics n wl ǎtlast ɖ cuṛnt xîtmnt. Ɖt smʈñ z ɖ fyćr v Brexit.
Yes, Jonsn’z lêtist slf-sntrd lord-v-misrūl meḷdrama z rmarcbl īvn bî hiz ǒn standdz. Yes, Doriz’ lêtist c’rirmuv, gwñ postl in parḷmnt, on ɖ run fṛm hr ǒn reẓgneśn, z pṛvîdñ a sūṭbli dstrbñ coda t an olrdi dōntñli dstrbñ p’liticl c’rir. N, yes, Riśi Sūnac’s l’borịsli cnstructd oʈoṛti az prîm̦inistr z agn undr ʈret fṛm ɖ intmpṛt dsloylti ɖt hz bcm ɖ dfōltsetñ v a sx́n v ɖ Tori parti.
So, yes, mć v ɖs panṭmîm z indd abt Jonsn’z desṗreśn t rmen at ɖ sntr v ɖ stej – az ɖoz smrcñ ǎtñz wɖ hiz dog ć mornñ fr ɖ camraz cnfrm. Sm v ɖt me riyli b abt trayñ t mnūvr himslf bac intu parḷmnt in a sefr sīt at ɖ jenṛl ilex́n, ɖo hiz straṭji hz clirli nt bn ʈt ʈru.
Ol v it olso rezz xistnśl qsćnz fr ɖ Cnsrṿtivz, a parti ɖt wz fr so loñ ɖ inṭnaśnl paṛdîm fr pragmatic adapteśn in ɖ cōz v ilectṛl s’xes, īvn in ɖ ira v Marġrit Ʈaćr. Ɖ qsćn “Ẃt dz ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti nǎ stand fr?” z hardr t ansr ɖz dez. Ɖ Tori parti Jenga tǎr smtmz fīlz jst a bric awe fṛm c’laps.
Nvɖles, bhnd ol v ɖs standz Brexit itslf. Ɖs crîsis, in uɖr wrdz, gz bynd ɖ śort-trm probḷmz v ɖ Sūnac guvnmnt n ɖ strugl ovr ɖ Tori parti’z îdntti. Ɖ linc btwn ɖ ivnts v ɖ past wīc n Britn’z brec wɖ Yṛp z umbilicl, bcz ɖ cord ɖt bîndz ɖm z Jonsn himslf.
Part v ɖs, bt nt ol v it, z abt ɖ lîz ɖt wr integṛl t bʈ Brexit n Jonsn’z fōl. Lîz abt pandemic locdǎn partiz pśt Jonsn fṛm guvnmnt n nǎ fṛm ɖ Comnz. Bt lîz abt Brexit wr olso ɖ rīzn ẃ h got intu Nu 10 in ɖ frst ples. Hiz p’liticl baniśmnt n hymilieśn fr wn set v lîz òt t cōl intu qsćn hiz rlịr p’liticl coṛneśn fr a difṛnt set.
It wz evr ɖus wɖ Jonsn. Hiz dparćr z nt a têl v an isnṣ́li dīsnt n truʈtelñ man hu ruind it ol bî layñ. Jonsn’z cntmt fr truʈ n rūlz z lîfloñ. Hiz hǎsmastr at Ītn, Martin Hamnd, feṃsli nêld ɖ probḷm mni decedz ago ẃn h rout: “I ʈnc h oṇstli b’livz ɖt it z ćrliś v s nt t rgard him az an xpśn, wn hu śd b fri v ɖ netwrc v obḷgeśn ẃć bîndz evrwn els.” Telñ ɖ truʈ matrz t y n m. It dz nt matr t Jonsn.
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Riśi Sūnac n Cir Starmr claś ovr Boris Jonsn’z onrzlist at PMQz
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Jonsn’z conduct in ɖ pandemic n sins rsivñ ɖ draft v ɖ priṿlijzcmiti rport z fŭli in lîn wɖ ɖt Ītn rport. Eni uɖr prîm̦inistr wd hv bn scrūpyḷsli cerfl nt t brec ɖ rūlz ɖt hiz ǒn guvnmnt hd impozd. Mni wd hv ŕd on ɖ sîd v cōśn n slf-dnayl. Nn v ɖt aplîz t Jonsn bcz it wd nt hv ocŕd t him ɖt it śd. H z ɖ slf-apôntd xpśn, a sosiopaʈic narssist. H hz dpartd bcz, in hiz vy, h z infiṇtli mor importnt ɖn eni presidnt, or rūl or insttyśn.
Bt ɖ sem aplîz t hiz attyd t Brexit. H dd’nt riyli hv a stroñ vy abt ẃɖr t līv or rmen. Bt h dd hv a stroñ vy abt ẃć wz bst fr Boris Jonsn. Hvñ md hiz ćôs, h sd ẃtvr cem t hand in ɖ campen, ẃɖr it wz tru or nt, jst az h hd dn in hiz jrṇlizm. A sirịs p’liticl līdr – sirịs in ɖ sns v acordñ prîoṛti t naśnl nīdz, nt ɖ līdr’z ǒn advantij or gratiḟceśn – wd nvr hv bn so reclis. Lêtr, h clemd t b ɖ wn hu cd gt Brexit dn, bt ɖt wz anɖr lî; ɖz wr mir wrdz n ɖs wz a mir pǒz. H hd no îdīa ẃt wd wrc or d damij n h dd’nt cer îɖr.
In ɖer bc, Jonsn at 10, Ánṭni Seldn n Remnd Nywl dstil Jonsn’z c’rir intu ʈri cor trets: hiz c’rizma, hiz slf’bzorpśn n hiz slfiśnis. Ɖer comn ʈred z an absns v moṛl sirịsnis, rflectd in ɖ we h livd n rūld. “Cōzz, cmitmnts, colīgz, az wel az plejz, poḷsiz n partnrz wr rgardd az mirli transitri n trnzax́nl,” ɖe rait. “Eni cd b jetisnd ẃn ɖe no longr srvd hiz inṭrests or pleźr.” Ivnts hv cnfrmd ɖ truʈ v ɖt. Yṛpiyn Yńn, parḷmnt, Cnsrṿtiv parti. Hu riyli cerz? Nt Jonsn.
Jonsn hz nǎ, it sīmz, wōct awe fṛm parti poḷtics. Phps h hz dpartd fr evr. Phps h wl rtrn. A mnoṛti v Toriz, an īvn smōlr mnoṛti v votrz n a hanfl v oṿmîti nyzpeprz r stl preyñ fr anɖr act. Fr ɖ rest, Jonsn līvz bhnd a damijd prsnl repyteśn, a damijd parti, a damijd sistm v guvnmnt, a damijd parḷmntri dmocṛsi n a damijd cuntri.
Ɖ p’liticl sistm on ẃć Jonsn atmtd fr so loñ t impoz hiz prṣnaḷti n hiz lac v standdz hz, bî n larj, rpulst hiz asōlt. Bt it hz tecn losz in dwñ so, n a secnd asōlt canot b rūld ǎt. Līdrz sć az Jonsn smtmz win n smtmz lūz. Bt ɖe olwz damij, n ɖ damij mst b rperd n mst b gardd agnst in fyćr.
Ɖt z ẃ, in an importnt sns, ɖz past fy dez r funḍmnṭli abt Brexit. Untl rīsntli, Brexit hd bcm a tbu. It flt inevitbl ɖt a jeṇreśn wd hv t pas bfr it wz p’liticli poṣbl fr a ny form v rleśnśp t b cnstructd wɖ ɖ YY ɖt wd undu ɖ harm v ɖ vot in 2016. Ic̣nomic struglz, ɖ ćaḷnjz v clîṃt n mîgreśn, n ɖ wor in Ycren ol mc ɖ nīd fr ɖt rībildñ mor presñ. A stedi śift in public opińn twdz closr cooṗreśn, foloud bî Jonsn’z fōl, nǎ opnz ɖ dor t a mć mor dtrmind riingejmnt.
Ɖt wl nt b īzi. Bt ɖ bigist lî ɖt Jonsn evr tld, n ɖ wn ɖt wz most wîdli b’livd, wz ovr Brexit. It hz rzultd in ɖ larjist pìs v damij v ɖ mni h inflictd on ɖ cuntri. Jonsn’z fōl n unpopylaṛti òt, ɖrfr, t riopn Britn’z rleśnśp wɖ Yṛp. Ɖt z tù big a qsćn fr ɖs or eni uɖr fyćr guvnmnt t cīp loct awe in ɖ tù-dificlt box. It z tîm, in uɖr wrdz, t tec bac cntrol.
Ɖr z no crîsis at Wsminstr so sirịs ɖt it canot b md t lc trivịl bî ɖ incluźn v Boris Jonsn. N ɖr z no scandl involvñ Jonsn ɖt canot b xplend, parṣ́li or hol̦i, bî hiz lîz. Ɖoz r axịmz v post-Brexit poḷtics.
Ɖ Hǎs v Comnz cmiti v priṿlijz z dy t publiś a rport cncludñ ɖt a formr prîm̦inistr trnd hiz bac on truʈ n pt himslf in cntmt v parḷmnt. Ɖ graṿti v ɖ ofns invîts a sirịs dscuśn abt ɖ sefgardz in Britiś dmocṛsi. Or it śd.
Jonsn laid bcz h hd brocn ɖ rūlz ɖt most uɖr ppl obzrvd jrñ ɖ pandemic, ofn at sgnificnt prsnl cost. H laid bcz h flt no dyti v sbmiśn t rūlz impozd bî hiz ǒn guvnmnt or eni uɖr oʈoṛti. H laid bcz brecñ rūlz n rfyzñ t admit it hd bn a rlaybl meʈ̇d v slf’dvansmnt ʈrt hiz lîf, pṛpelñ him ol ɖ we t Dǎnñ Strīt. H laid bcz ɖt z ẃt h dz.
Ɖoz facts biyñ istabliśt, n Jonsn hvñ qit ɖ Comnz t avôd ɖ indigṇti v a sspnśn, ɖ mn qsćn left haññ z hǎ sć a man evr rīćt a pziśn v pǎr fr ẃć h wz obvịsli unfit. Ẃt sicnis in Britiś poḷtics pṛdyst ɖ hlūṣneśn v merit in Jonsn’z canddsi fr Nu 10?
Ɖ qsćn prīṣpozz ɖt ɖ fīvr hz brocn. Sweti fydñ btwn s’portrz v ɖ formr prîm̦inistr n ɖ incumbnt, wns Jonsn’z proṭźe, sjst uɖ̇wz. Ɖ rǎ wɖ Riśi Sūnac z ostnsbli abt smʈñ uɖr ɖn locdǎn brīćz, bt ɖe r cnctd in ɖ we ɖt multipl îtmz v garbij cn brn sepṛtli in ɖ sem scipfîr.
Sūnac z akzd v vītowñ onrz ɖt Jonsn wz intîtld t dǒl ǎt on hiz reẓgneśn az prîm̦inistr, n v rnegñ on sṗsific aśuṛnsz ɖt sm MPz wd gt ɖer piṛjz in dy cors. Dǎnñ Strīt sz ɖt z untru.
Nedīn Doriz, wn v ɖ ʈwortd noṃnīz, dcrîz a snobiś cnspiṛsi bî rić cidz in Nu 10 t privnt a wrcñclas grl fṛm Liṿpul aćivñ ɖ lediśp ɖt Jonsn hd sd wz in ɖ bag. Anɖr xpḷneśn wd b ɖt Jonsn laid.
Ɖs z ɖ trivịlîzñproses in ax́n. Smhǎ dbet lrćt fṛm ɖ consttyśnl prínsipl ɖt MPz b acǎntbl fr ɖ vraṣti v ẃt z sd in parḷmnt t plêgrǎnd rcriṃneśn btwn rîvl gañlīdrz n ɖer mêts. Ɖ sem mnūvr scips glibli fṛm a public-hlʈ imrjnsi in ẃć hundṛdz v ʈǎzndz v ppl daid t bic̣rñ ovr ɖ tîmtebl on ẃć feld ministrz śd b alaud t swop a sīt in ɖ Comnz fr a cŭśịr bŕʈ in ɖ Lordz; ol agnst ɖ bacdrop v a brūtl cost-v-livñ crîsis.
Jonsn z nt rsponsbl fr ol ɖt z absrd in Wsminstr. Ɖ hol biznis v līdrz drepñ ɖer croniz in ŕmin wz gṛtesc bfr h md it obsin. Bt hiz trṗtyd z redioactiv. It iluṃnets flwz in a consttyśnl ordr best on proṭcolz n pṛprayti, ẃl axeḷretñ its dce.
Ɖ mor Britiś dmocṛsi hz bn xpozd t him, ɖ les sirịs it hz bcm. Hiz toxic slf-involvmnt hz cntaṃnetd ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti so cmplitli ɖt īvn in rjctñ him it inflets hiz vaṇti. H z a lump v wepnzgred narssizm p’lūtñ ɖ p’liticl er.
Inuf Toriz hv dạgnozd ɖt probḷm t wont rid v him, olɖo ɖt rj z rvrsbl. Les ɖn a yir ago Jonsn wz dfeṇstretd bî ɖ parḷmntri parti. Onli a fy munʈs lêtr, a hundṛd MPz wr redi t noṃnet him az ɖ bst prsn t rples Liz Trus. Bac in ɖ sumr v 2019, ẃn T’rīza Me rzînd, plenti v Cnsrṿtivz swòr secrid oɖz t privnt Jonsn evr rīćñ Nu 10, bfr indorsñ him n srvñ in hiz guvnmnt.
Ɖt wz ɖ Rūḅcón momnt. Crosñ t Jonsn’z sîd rqîrd wilfl rjx́n v eni atmt t inact Brexit ẃl rmenñ in sm we cogniznt v ic̣nomic n dipḷmatic riaḷti. Me hd brnd hrslf ǎt trayñ t recnsîl îdịlojicl dmandz fr cmplit rupćr fṛm Yṛp wɖ raṣ́nl mitgeśn v ɖ cost. It cd’nt b dn. Jonsn reprizntd ɖ vy ɖt ɖr wz no riyl cost, onli saḅtāj bî eṇmiz. N ɖe cd b oṿcm bî a srj in naśnl spirit, incarnetd in a hrǒic līdr – ɖ arc̣tîpl ofr v popylizm.
Jonsn’z gret hlmzmnśp, n Brexit az a drīm v naśnl rnesns, r stl fyzd in sm Tori imaɉneśnz. H adrest ɖt cnstitẏnsi d’recli in a reẓgneśnstetmnt ɖt cast ɖ priṿlijzcmiti az a “canġrucort” instōld az part v a plot “t tec rvnj fr Brexit n ultiṃtli t rvrs ɖ 2016 reḟrendm”.
Ɖ form n ton v ɖ arğmnt r cribd fṛm ɖ Doṇld Trump ple-bc: slf-pitiing, paṛnôd, dzînd t str beḷcos naśṇlist grīvns.
Ɖ iṃteśn wd b mor alarmñ f it wz’nt olso despṛt. Ɖr z an ōdịns fr ɖ imbitrd Brexit-btreyl miʈ, bt nt an ilex́n-winñ mjoṛti. Its induljns bî Cnsrṿtivz inḍcets a parti olrdi seṭlñ intu opziśn n, ẃl YS Rpublicn-stîl d’renjmnt z an obvịs tṛjectri wns ɖ brdn v guvnmnt z cast of, a resṭreśn v b’līgrd libṛl Tori tṛdiśnz z olso aveḷbl.
Fr ol ɖ damij ɖt Jonsn hz dn, hiz pǎr t mc evrʈñ trivịl hz pruvd slf-dmiṇśñ. H ʈt h std abv ɖ insttyśnz ɖt h c’ruptd, bt h wz bròt dǎn bî cnvnśnl deṃcratic mec̣nizmz. Hiz lîz abt locdǎn partiz wr xpozd bî a fri pres n puniśt bî parḷmnt. Ɖ Tori mjoṛti h clemz az prūf v hiz ynīc popylaṛti dd nt sev him. Ɖ sistm ɖt swoloud hiz śtic olso dsgorjd him. Ɖ riyl traɉdi z ɖt h wz host t a mor stubn paṛsitic wrm v an îdīa – ɖ Brexit dluźn ɖt hz nstd in ɖ guts v Britiś poḷtics n wl nt so īẓli b xcritd.
Nt t dnî ɖ apil v bcs n podcasts in ẃć s’xesfl ppl tōc insṗreśṇli abt fełr, bt a ny, qt difṛnt scūl v aṇcdotl evidns pṛpozz an oltrṇtiv aproć. Ẃt f ɖ most ifctiv we t dīl wɖ fełr z t dnî it evr hapnd? Or – s’pozñ smʈñ ǎtẉdli caṭstrofic z psivd defiṇtli t hv ocŕd – t xplen hǎ ɖs naṛtiv mirli cnfrmz ɖ harś ćaḷnjz cnfruntñ ɖ tarġtd îdiylist/sevyr/iṇsnt wrchors?
“Ẃn ɖ hrd muvz, it muvz.” (Boris Jonsn)
“Last ōtm I hd a mejr setbac.” (Liz Trus)
“I hd a riyli goldn tîm prsṇli.” (Jorj Ozbōrn)
F spectaklrli feld Cnsrṿtiv poḷtiśnz c’nt tec ol ɖ credit fr ɖs slf-suɖñ aproć t rcordd dzastr – Jeṛmi Corbin n uɖrz srv un’poḷjetic̣li elsẃr – ɖe ofr mastrclasz in fełrmanijmnt unlîcli t b s’pást untl anɖr partifeṿrit ćaḷnjz ɖ cnvnśn ɖt a leġsi v naśnl pen z incmpatbl wɖ c’rir’dvansmnt.
Trus biyñ ɖ Iliẓbʈ De v ɖs reṿluśn in fełr manijmnt. Jôn s t nt dscus ẃt ś dd’nt lrn fṛm a fełr ɖt nvr hapnd. Hr progres wɖ slf-vindceśn – az last wīc in Tîwan – mt lc pōltri bsd Ozbōrn’z mjestic x’sîz in rnywl, or Jonsn’z traṿlñ src̣s, bt ɖ formr hz tîm on hiz sîd, ɖ latr hiz fix́nz, śǒmnśp n b’wićt sponsrz.
Cnsiḍrñ hǎ mni hǎsholdz r lîcli t hv sufrd mor fînanśl pen fṛm Trus ɖn ɖe wd fṛm a mobîlfon robr – n hǎ sm me īvn rcōl ɖ misñ Ćīvnñ baʈrǒbz v ystrmunʈ – Trus’z rtrn fṛm ɖ wilḍnis, bfr ś’d īvn bn rportd misñ, wd sīm insenli msjujd f it wr’nt mor reṃnisnt v a trîumfnt Rić̣d III. Ɖt bit ẃr h sdysz ɖ wido v a man h rīsntli mrdrd. Ovr anɖr bodi. “Wz evr wmn in ɖs hymr wùd? Wz evr wmn in ɖs hymr wún?” Ɖt’s hǎ mad – or impresiv – it z t si nyz orġnîześnz ɖt lêtli ćartd ɖ £30bn cost v Trus’z idịsi nǎ rcordñ hr pṛnǎnsmnts wɖ a p’lît inṭrest olmst indistnḡśbl fṛm cmpliṣti.
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Boris Jonsn’z ny hom in Oxfdśr hz a mot. Foṭgraf: Jefri Swên/Śuṭstoc
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Acć̣li it’s madr: Śecspir’z Rić̣d III pritndz t b penitnt. Last wīc Trus simpli stumbld ʈru inuf pṛnǎnsmnts on Ćîna t pswed ɖ guḷbl t promlget ɖ slfiz ś hz olwz cnsidrd, hr bîogṛfrz cnfrmd, criticl t hr inṭrests.“
Trus rjz Sūnac t clas Ćîna az a ‘ʈret’ t YC s’kṛti”, wz ɖ BBC’z dytifl tec, az f ɖs wz (a) nyz ǎtsd hr hed, n (b) riyli ɖ pônt v ɖ Taiwan-ʈīmd step in Trus’z rīhbiḷteśn. Sins ɖ rport sòt baḷns fṛm hr particritics, bt nt fṛm sviłn victimz v ɖ “mōrón riscprīmịm”, a popylr trm ś inspîrd az loñ ago az last Octobr, ɖs advnćr cd hardli hv gn betr fr wn v ɖ most ćarmlis vandlz in rīsnt p’liticl hisṭri. Ɖo ś z obvịsli forćṇt in ɖt rspct t beṇfit fṛm ɖ pạniyrñ xampl v Ozbōrn.
It’s ʈancs t Ozbōrn, pastmastr v fełrberịl, ɖt w nǒ ɖt public loɖñ n pṛfeśnl sspiśn cn diṣpet t cmplitli sef levlz in az litl az nîn yirz. Ɖt wz ɖ gap btwn Ozbōrn biyñ bùd at ɖ Lundn Paṛlimpics ẃn ppl stl rzntd hiz asōlt on public-srṿsz spendñ (includñ on ḿziymz), n hiz biyñ md ćermn v ɖ Britiś Ḿziym.
Hiz record az ćanslr, cndemd bʈ bfr n aftr ɖ c’rirćenj ɖt foloud hiz n Devid Camṛn’z risc-tecñ on Brexit, hd nt, v cors, cm btwn him n a s’xeśn v uɖr unlîcli bt fōlt-irezñ jobz, includñ eḍtñ Łifğeńi Leḅjef’s Īvnñ Standd.
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Ćîna’z stetpres prezd Jorj Ozbōrn fr setñ asd hymn-rîts objx́nz, ẃć olrdi includd ɖ prṣkśn v ɖ Wīgrz. Foṭgraf: Hana Mcî/Rôtrz
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Tde, brniśt bî hiz Britiś Ḿziym cnx́n, freś pṛmośn fr ɖ crietr v ɖ bedrūm tax wl b rportd (h’z t orṇmnt ɖ Lingotto invstmntcumṗni), wɖt enwn ascñ ẃ y’d hîr smwn hu, az wel az wontñ T’rīza Me ćopt p “in mî frizr”, wz fr so loñ asośietd wɖ biyñ amezñli roñ. Nt onli on osteṛti, olɖo ɖt wd b inuf, bt on HS2, on ɖ gardnbrij n most memṛbli, f rmemḅrñ z yr ʈñ, on Ćîna. H léd a fōnñ deḷgeśn ɖr in 2015: “Let’s criet a goldn deced fr ɖ YC-Ćîna rleśnśp”. F h’d got hiz we, ɖ luv’fer wd stl hv tū yirz t run.
In rtrn, Ćîna’z stetpres prezd Ozbōrn fr setñ asd hymn-rîts objx́nz, ẃć olrdi includd ɖ prṣkśn v ɖ Wīgrz. “Cīpñ a modist manr z ɖ c’rect attyd fr a foṛn ministr viẓtñ Ćîna t sīc biznis oṗtyṇtiz.”
Last wīc Aḷster Cambl, aftr invîtñ ɖ modist stetsmn on t hiz podcast Ɖ Rest Z Poḷtics, sd Ozbōrn hd “sm gd advîs fr Lebr”. Hopḟli smwn in Lebr rcōlz ɖt in 2019 Ozbōrn, bacñ Jonsn, tld Standd rīdrz hiz canddet cd “pt hiz parti n cuntri bac on trac”.
Wɖ hiz rīsnt Elginwośñ hlpñ cmplit ɖ rmuvl v ẃt wns apird unśiftbl repyteśnl stenz, Ozbōrn’z riinvnśn, īzd bî onli ɖ mîldist xpreśnz v rgret, z a ri’śurñ tmplet fr eni poḷtiśn wɖ ziro dnaybiḷti fr ɖer part in ɖ YC’z post-2010 dclîn. Ẃt mt nt b fgivn bî ɖ public wl b sn fgotn, or, wɖ inuf bṛvādo n ny job tîtlz, ovŗitn.
Lîcwz, ẃtvr bcmz v Jonsn, ɖ rbycs ɖt trigrd hiz xit olrdi rīd lîc historic dokmnts, bérli rletd t ɖ prospṛs figr hu, hvñ dīreld bʈ hiz parti n cuntri, hz jst aqîrd ɖ ultiṃt stamp v Tori rspctbiḷti, a motd mánr. Phps Cári hz yt t rīd Aḷn Clarc’s dayriz.
Ẃɖr ɖ Tori we wɖ fełr wl beṇfit fełrz ǎtsd ɖ parti probbli dpndz on ɖ alījnsz v ɖ feld. A mōrón riscprīmịm ɖt ɖ Meil or Teḷgraf fgev fṛm Trus, ɖe wd nt fṛm Cir Starmr. Bt ɖ wilñnis v mor ńtṛl nyzsorsz t qot ɖ unripntnt Trus wɖ litl or no aluźn t hr dredfl prīvịs, hints ɖt ẃr śem hz olrdi gn, fełr cd stl folo.
If I had faith
That a poem of mine
At the right time
And in the right place
Could spread love and peace
Make foie gras history for geese
Take from the rich and give to the poor
Fix a broken back door
Make civilisation more civil
Stop talkers talking drivel
Resurrect the dead
Mend the garden shed
Save the whales
Get me a cottage in the Yorkshire Dales
Spread faith in hope and charity
Give transparency more clarity
Distinguish right from wrong
Liberate Hong Kong
Conjure something out of nothing
Help huffins and puffins
Enable one to keep one’s head
Multiply a loaf of bread
Empower the people
Stiffen the feeble
Vax the virus
Instantly inspire us
Reinforce the Celtic fringe
Celebrate those little things
Untwist me and unbitter
Unlout louts who drop their litter
Topple tyrants
Follow science
Rock that rhythm
Globalise goodism
Make thunder and lightning
A little less frightening
Take away the hurt
Justify a dessert
Put an end to greed
Make Warbreck Reserves win the football league
Reflower and reforest
Boot out Boris
Help the Martians get by on Mars
Florianopolise that empty vase
Make people weary
Of conspiracy theory
See orf aristocracy
Democratise democracy
Stop me going on a rant
Add a stress to eli fant
Earn some money
Make fundamentalists funny
Answer your prayers
Nix nightmares
Crack the climate crisis
Eliminate Isis
Heal the sick and make pain cease
Give cabbages increase
Exit Brexit
Take the biscuit
Spice up vegan saveloy
Make a man of you, my boy
Summon the sublime
Make the buses run on time
Stop the war
Work out what on earth life’s for
Bewitch and beguile
Or at least make you smile,
I might write more.
Britn hd sd its em wz t ‘cīp 1.5S alîv’. Ɖ prîm̦inistr sīmz t wont it ded
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Munde 7 Nvmbr 2022
Riśi Sūnac z nt inṭrestd in ɖ clîṃt imrjnsi – n evrwn nz it. Forst t mc a flayñ vizit t Cop27, Mr Sūnac’s intranzijns md him an ǎtcast at ɖ YN sumit in Sharm el-Śeic, Ījipt. H dd sit dǎn wɖ Frans’z Emmanuel Macron, n ɖ Itałn faŗît prîm̦inistr, Giorgia Meloni, t dscus a subjict – “ilīgl mîgreśn” – ɖt Mr Sūnac obvịsli cerz abt. Bt most wrldlīdrz wr nt gwñ t mc tîm fr a prîm̦inistr hu hd bloct Britn’z ny moṇc fṛm atndñ ɖ sumit n onli cem bcz h fird biyñ upstejd bî Boris Jonsn. Ẃn Mr Sūnac dd trn p, it wz wɖ hiz prīdisesr’z plan n slognz. Imbaṛsñli, Mr Jonsn dd tec sntrstej at Cop27 – fṛm ɖ sîdlînz.
Ɖ prîm̦inistr’z tracrecord rvilz a poḷtiśn hu guvnz in ɖ Tōriz’ naro p’liticl inṭrest rɖr ɖn ɖ naśnl wn. Slaśñ fyl n er dytiz az ćanslr jst dez bfr ɖ last Cop sumit – hostd bî ɖ YC – śoud hiz tru culrz. Plejz t crtel onśor wind n solr dveḷpmnt jrñ ɖ Cnsrṿtiv līdrśp campen signld ɖt prsnl ambiśn wz mor importnt ɖn clîṃtgolz. In Cop26, cuntriz sînd p t rdys carbndîoxîd imiśnz t limit globl hītñ t 1.5S abv priindustrịl tmpṛćrz. Britn hd wontd t “cīp 1.5S alîv”. Mr Sūnac sīmz t wont it ded.
In ofis, h hz axeḷretd ɖ dclîn v ɖ grīn ajnda, ijctñ fṛm ɖ cabiṇt ɖ Cop26 prezidnt, Alok Sharma, n ɖ clîṃtministr, Greym Stywt. Cabiṇt cmitiz r ẃr poḷsi arğmnts r ʈraśt ǎt. Undr Mr Jonsn ɖr wr tū cabiṇt cmitiz dedcetd t clîṃt, wn ćerd bî Mr Sharma n wn bî ɖ prîm̦inistr. Bt nǎ “net ziro” hz bn rold intu a cmiti on “dmestic n ic̣nomic aferz”, wɖ a foc̣s on eṇji s’kṛti. Mr Sūnac, sinicli, z yzñ ɖ Ycren wor t se ɖt Britn śd b slf-rlaynt on its ǒn fosilfylz. Bt Britn śd rdys its dpndns on carbn-best eṇji n hlp end ɖ clîṃt imrjnsi.
Mr Jonsn tld hiz Red Sī ōdịns ɖt “nǎ z nt ɖ tîm t g wibli-wobli on net ziro”. Mr Sūnac z wiḅlñ n woḅlñ. Hiz planz t xtract mor ôl n gas fṛm ɖ Norʈ Sī r nt cmpatbl wɖ ɖ YC’z net ziro cmitmnt. Nɖr z bildñ a colmîn in Cumbria. Pŭlñ carbndîoxîd bac ǎt v ɖ atṃsfir cn xpand ɖ spes fr poẓtiv imiśnz, bt ɖ tecnoḷji z far fṛm biyñ rold ǎt.
A globl p’liticl crîsis v ɖ eṇji trnziśn z bruwñ. “Ɖ xtñśn v hymncînd” lūmz, bt Britn z bīncǎntñ. Ẃl Mr Sūnac dclerz ɖt h wl spend ɖ £11bn promist bî Mr Jonsn t hlp purr cuntriz adapt t globl hītñ, h w’nt se h wl cīp t ɖ plan t pe ǎt ɖ caś ovr fîv yirz. F ɖ muni z spred ovr a longr pirịd, it wl mīn cuts in clîṃtfînans. Ɖs wl hrt ɖ purist ppl in ɖ wrld. Mr Sūnac me sel it az mor muni fr Brítnz. Ćaṛti me bgin at hom, bt ẃt hapnz f yr hǎs z on fîr?
Ɖ Britiś guvnmnt z pleyñ a confidnstric ɖt riscs trapñ ɖ wrld in fosilfyl dpndns. Mr Sūnac z peyñ lipsrvis t invîrnmntl iśuz ẃl péḍlñ grīnwoś poḷsiz n ic̣nomic bludletñ. Ɖs cnd v poḷtics pevz, in ɖ wrdz v ɖ YN secṛtrijenṛl, António Guterres, ɖ hîwe t clîṃthel.
Ɖ ny prîm̦inistr’z prêz fr Boris Jonsn wz ton-def, sz Rúsl Huntr, ẃl Pītr Cev pônts t ɖ emti wrdz v prīvịs Tori līdrz. Plus letrz fṛm Su Hardmn, Jenifr Brêʈwet n Pītr Milr
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Letrz, Tyzde 6 Sptmbr 2022
Ẃl liṣnñ t ǎr nyli “ilectd” prîm̦inistr’z mni venglorịs proṃsz in hr vicṭri spīć (5 Sptmbr), I wz struc bî hr utr lac v p’liticl awernis or īvn comn dīsnsi t ʈnc it aproprịt t ʈanc hr prīdisesr. It wz az f h hd greśsli stept dǎn aftr slflis srvis t ɖ neśn rɖr ɖn biyñ rmuvd bî hiz parḷmntri colīgz fr hiz dsoṇsti n cntińl obfsceśn.
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F ɖs z a meźr v hr p’liticl akymn, w mst ol xpct ɖ dsgresfl ivnts ɖt hv bcm ɖ norm in ǎr poḷtics t cntiny un’beitd.
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Rúsl Huntr Īstbōrn, Īst Susix
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Pundits wl v cors mul ovr Liz Trus’z frst wrdz az prîm̦inistr ǎtsd Dǎnñ Strīt. Bt lest w fget: Boris Jonsn in Jlî 2019 promist t “rstor trust in dmocṛsi”; T’rīza Me in Jlî 2016 wd fît “brnñ injusṭsz”; Devid Camṛn in Me 2010 wd lc aftr “ɖ eldrli, ɖ frel, ɖ purist”; n Marġrit Ʈaćr in Me 1979 wd brñ harṃni “ẃr ɖr z discord”.
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Nn v ɖt hapnd. Jonsn’z antics hv indenjrd dmocṛsi. Undr Me, injusṭsz grù frɖr; undr Camṛn, lîvz bcem wrs fr ɖ dis’dvantijd; n Ʈaćr z stl rmembrd fr ɖ dīp discord ś cōzd. Mć els ɖt wz anǎnst dd nt mtirịlîz.
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Gvn ɖs tracrecord, it wd b astoṇśñ f Trus’z wrdz trnd ǎt t tel s mć abt ẃt ś wl ivnć̣li aćiv – at līst wɖ rgard t enʈñ ɖt wd b dzîṛbl.
I grù p in ɖ norʈ-wst jrñ ɖ Ʈaćr yirz n wrct in a Yorx́r banc, so sw frst-hand ɖ damij dn. Ś rīct haṿc on industrịl hartḷndz wɖ no ʈōt az t ẃt wd rples ɖoz jobz. Ɖ ifcts v hr il-ʈt-ʈru ax́nz cn b sìn tde, az ɖ YC struglz wɖ hî infleśn n an ovŗlayns on ɖ srvis inḍstri.
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Ʈaćr’z îdịlojicl b’lif ɖt ɖ fri marcit wd solv evrʈñ hz left s wɖ an imesietd public sectr. Bt enwn hu livd ʈru ɖoz yirz wl śrli agri ɖt wn v ɖ most abhoṛnt aspects v ɖt pirịd wz ɖt ś md y fīl “les ɖn” f y dd’nt hv muni. Plus ça change, plus c’est le même chose.
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Su Hardmn Wŭdbrij, Suḟc
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Hǎ mć longr wl w cntiny t b’liv ɖt w liv in a dmocṛsi wɖ an unilectd upr hǎs n a prîm̦inistr ćozn bî a hanfl v Cnsrṿtiv parti membrz?
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Jenifr Brêʈwet Farñdn, Oxfdśr
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So mć fr ɖer fînanśl proḅti, grīn cṛdnślz n comn-sns ẃn Boris Jonsn n Liz Trus flî t Scotḷnd in sepṛt pleinz on ɖ sem de t si ɖ Qīn.
Miłnz v ppl rîtli fīl btreid bî ɖ guvnmnt fr nglectñ t d enʈñ abt ɖ lūmñ fînanśl śoc
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Súnde, 28 Ōġst 2022
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Ɖ rîzñ cost v eṇji z a naśnl imrjnsi. Last yir, Britiś hǎsholdz c’lectivli spent arnd £30bn on ɖer eṇjibilz. Nxt yir, ɖt bil z xpctd t b in ɖ rījn v £170bn. Ɖoz sumz d nt acǎnt fr ɖ hayr eṇjicosts ɖt wl b fest elsẃr in ɖ icoṇmi, bî bizṇsz, hospitlz n scūlz. It wd b a c’losl ic̣nomic śoc ɖt wd cōz untld ic̣nomic hardśp n homlisnis n ppl dayñ v cndiśnz rletd t biyñ cold.
Last wīc, Ofgem anǎnst ɖ eṇjiprîs cap wd rîz t an aṿrij v £3,549 in fîv wīcs’ tîm. Ɖs z olmst tripl ẃt it wz a yir ago, līvñ ppl fesñ aṿrij eṇjibilz v £500 a munʈ n mor. Xprts hv pridictd ɖs wl frɖr incris t £700 a munʈ in Jańri. Ɖz cndz v sumz wl hrt ɖ līst aflụnt ɖ most: lo-incm faṃliz wɖ yuñ ćildṛn, pnśnrz livñ in poṿti, ppl wɖ dis’biḷtiz. Bt onli a slim mnoṛti v hǎsholdz r mīnñḟli insyletd fṛm a fînanśl śoc v ɖs ordr. It z a crîsis on ɖ scel v ɖ trmôl v 2008, ẃć rqîrd a £137bn up-frunt beilǎt t privnt bancs c’lapsñ n ppl’z sevñz ivaṗretñ, n v ɖ ic̣nomic impact v ɖ pandemic, ẃć rqîrd £70bn v frlo s’port t b peid t 11.7 miłn implôīz.
Yt ɖ onli rspons v ɖ Cnsrṿtiv guvnmnt hz bn sîḷns. Ǎr lem-duc prîm̦inistr, Boris Jonsn, wd nt stand dǎn untl ɖ sumr wz ovr bt hz spent hiz last wīcs in ofis hoḷdeyñ abrōd, ẃl formr prîm̦inistrz n xprts plīdd fr an imrjnsipacij t b swiftli dveḷpt n anǎnst. Greg Handz, ɖ eṇjiministr, wz abrōd on ɖ de ɖt Ofgem, ɖ eṇjireğletr, md its anǎnsmnt. Ɖ guvnmnt ofrd no ministr t tur ɖ brōdcaststydioz t ri’śur ɖ public ɖt ɖ crîsis z in hand. Ɖ parti’s tū canddets t b ɖ nxt prîm̦inistr hv bn mor foc̣st on tẹrñ ćuncs ǎt v ć uɖr in an oṿli loñ n incrisñli bitr contest ɖn on cooṗretñ t dveḷp a plan ɖt wd b impḷmntd bî huevr winz.
It z unfgiṿbl t hv a grūp v Cnsrṿtiv poḷtiśnz in guvnmnt hu cer so litl fr ɖ cuntri n hu hv so litl rspct fr ɖ ppl hu liv in it ɖt ɖe ʈnc it axptbl t nglect ɖer rsponsbiḷtiz in ɖs we. Nɖr Liz Trus nr Riśi Sŭnac hz grapld wɖ ɖ crîsis ɖe wd inherit az prîm̦inistr. Trus hz promist tnz v biłnz v taxcuts ɖt wl d prisîsli nʈñ t hlp ɖ hardist-up cǒp n wl dlivr ɖ most s’port t ɖ wlʈiist hǎsholdz hu r ɖ wnz hu cn gt bî.
Ś hz pripostṛsli sd ś wz nt in fevr v “handǎts”; ɖ iqivḷnt v seyñ ś wd hv bn hapi t let ɖ bancs c’laps in 2008 or fr ppl t hv bcm desttyt az a rzult v biyñ leid of jrñ ɖ locdǎnz v 2020. Ɖt ś z olmst srtnli lîcli t b ɖ nxt prîm̦inistr z a dsgresfl indcetr v ɖ stet v ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti. Sŭnac hz at līst indcetd h wd targit s’port at ɖ līst wel of, bt hz sd nʈñ ɖt śoz h unḍstandz ɖ scel v ẃt z nīdd.
Ɖ sîz v ɖ eṇji prîsrîzz z sć ɖt meźrz tarġtd ʈru ɖ beṇfitsistm cn no longr b sfiśnt, bcz ɖe wd mis tù mni hǎsholdz fr hūm xtra s’port z vîtl. It rqîrz an xtrordnri rspons. Lebr hz pt fwd wn sć pṛpozl: t cap eṇjibilz at ɖer cuṛnt rets, at a cost v arnd £30bn ovr six munʈs or £60bn ovr a yir, partli fundd ʈru an incrist windfōl tax on ôl n gas pṛdysrz.
Ɖr r uɖr wez v dliṿrñ ɖs s’port, sć az brññ in a ny sośl eṇjitarif ɖt cuts bilz fr ol bt ɖ wlʈiist hǎsholdz or at līst taxñ bac sm v ɖ costs v ɖs fṛm ɖ rićist 10% or 20% v hǎsholdz. Bt Cir Starmr hz unḍstd ẃt z nīdd in a we ɖt hiz Cnsrṿtiv cǎnṭparts in guvnmnt hv nt.
Ɖ imīɉt cōz v ɖs crîsis z Vladīmir Pūtin’z campen v terr in Ycren. H z trayñ t hold ɖ wrld hostij bî liṃtñ axes t Ruśn gas. Ɖr z no ćôs bt t c’lectivli pe ɖ prîs. Bt Cnsrṿtiv prîm̦inistrz hv tecn bad dsiźnz ovr ɖ last deced ɖt hv left ɖ YC mor xpozd t ɖs crîsis ɖn it uɖ̇wz mt hv bn. Devid Camṛn scrapt subṣdiz fr solr pǎr, eṇji-ifiśnsi scīmz n onśor wind, mcñ Britn mor rlaynt on fosilfylz. Ɖ guvnmnt hz alaud ɖ YC’z gaștorij fsiḷtiz t clos, so ɖt w nǎ hv cpaṣti t stor jst 2% v ańl dmand.
Evri de ɖt pasz wɖt ministrz stepñ p t anǎns an imrjnsi reskpacij z a de ɖt mor ppl hv t liv sic wɖ wuri, nt nwñ hǎ ɖe wl mc it ʈru ɖ wintr. Bizṇsz ɖt hv bn left damijd bî ɖ pandemic hv no srtnti abt ẃɖr ɖe wl b ebl t svîv ɖ nxt fy munʈs. It z a mońmntl n unconśṇbl fełr bî ɖ guṿnñclas. Sŭnac n Trus canot līv it eni longr bfr anǎnsñ îɖr jônt or sepṛt imrjnsipac̣jz ɖt ɖe wd implimnt śd ɖe fînd ɖmslvz in Dǎnñ Strīt.
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um er No?! ah
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Boris Jonsn’z clemz t b tecñ rsponsbiḷti r mīnñlis ẃn h canot śo snsir cntriśn or emṗʈi
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Wnzde, 25 Me 2022
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V ɖ mni ʈñz Boris Jonsn hz tld ɖ Hǎs v Comnz, phps ɖ līst creḍbl v ol z Wnzde’z clem t b “humbld” bî Su Gre’z rport intu Dǎnñ Strīt partiz jrñ ɖ pandemic.
Ɖr wz no hymiḷti in ɖ subsiqnt dbet or presconfṛns on ɖ topic. Mr Jonsn, a practist layr, canot īvn fec cntriśn. Ɖ Gre rport dscrîbz sstemic brīćz v Covid reğleśnz in Dǎnñ Strīt, cmitd nwñli n wɖ cntmt fr ɖ îdīa v pṛfeśnl guvnmnt.
Ɖr wz xesiv drincñ, bginñ rli in ɖ de n endñ lêt at nît. Ɖr wz voṃtñ n fîtñ. Stāf wr wornd t bwer v camraz, t līv bî bacdorz, fr fir v ɖer bhevyr biyñ rvild. A sīńr ofiśl spouc v “gtñ awe wɖ” wn ivnt. Clīnñ n s’kṛti stāf wr trītd wɖ disrispct. Ɖ carioci mśīn wz s’plaid bî ɖ prîm̦inistr’z advîzr on eʈics.
Ol v it wd b un’xptbl in eni sirịs wrcples. In ɖ sīt v guvnmnt, it z an afrunt t dmocṛsi. Bt ɖt z nt ɖ limit v ɖ ofns. Ɖ rūlz biyñ flǎtd wr dvîzd t sev lîvz in a naśnl imrjnsi. Ɖer obzrvns bî ɖ jenṛl public cept b’rivd faṃliz fṛm gaɖ̇rñ at fynṛlz n privntd reḷtivz viẓtñ ɖ bedsîdz v dayñ luvd wnz. It z hard t cnsiv v a mor igrījs insult t ɖoz hu sufrd ʈru ɖ pandemic ɖn ɖ dscuṿri ɖt ɖer sacṛfîs wz biyñ moct in ɖ prîm̦inistr’z ofiśl rezidns. Onli hiz in’biḷti t śo jenyin rmors maćz it fr cruwlti.
On Wnzde, Mr Jonsn tld MPz h tc rsponsbiḷti, bt feld t xplen hǎ. Ɖ asrśn wz no mor cnvinsñ ɖn hiz afcteśn v hymiḷti. Most v hiz Comnz pformns wz tecn p wɖ boġs xksz, caṿlñ, dflex́n n dsmḅlñ. H cd nt cnsil ɖ slf-piti, cnsiḍrñ himslf t b a victim v xesiv, prurịnt inteṛgeśn. H lct mor bord ɖn sori.
Īvn ẃn ɖ objict v ɖ x’sîz wz t adres public angr, ɖ prîm̦inistr cd nt cnsil hiz impeśns at biyñ md t ansr fr enʈñ t enwn. Ɖt comḅneśn v aṛgns n intîtlmnt z ɖ oṛjin v ɖ hol scandl. Mr Jonsn’z dfns rlîz on ɖ asrśn ɖt h wz un’wer v rūlbrecñ, ẃć z improbbl gvn hiz proxiṃti t ivnts, n absrd gvn ɖt hiz indiṣplind n diṣlut caṛctr gev hiz stāf ɖ pmiśn t d az ɖe plizd.
Mr Jonsn z roñ f h ʈncs ppl r redi t “muv on” fṛm qsćnz abt partiz. H canot grasp ɖ graṿti v hiz ofns, bcz dwñ so rqîrz emṗʈi wɖ ɖoz hu fīl ɖer hard wrc n prsnl sacṛfîsz jrñ ɖ pandemic hv bn b’litld.
Ɖr z a lîn v trnzmiśn fṛm ɖ līdr’z narssistic indifṛns t ɖ inṭrests v enwn bt himslf t ɖ patn v ceotic guvnmnt, unīql t ɖ sirịs ćaḷnjz it fesz.
Cnsrṿtiv MPz hu cntiny t s’port ɖer līdr, s’pozñ ɖt ɖ preznt trbyḷns z a sqōl ɖt cn b naṿgetd t rīć a mor compitnt fêz v guvnmnt, r dluźnl. Ɖe r olso dgredñ ɖmslvz n ɖer parti ʈru cmpliṣti wɖ a prîm̦inistr huz toxic unfitnis fr ofis z a c’rosiv substns, ītñ awe at ɖ fǎndeśnz v Britiś dmocṛsi.
Ɖ Gre rport canot brñ an end t ɖ matr bcz it dscrîbz simtmz v an ongwñ sindrom – a moṛl dbiḷteśn in poḷtics ɖt spredz ǎtwdz fṛm ɖ prîm̦inistr. Tori MPz hv it in ɖer pǎr t stop ɖ cntejn bî rmuvñ ɖer līdr, bt ɖe d nt. It z a fełr v curij n conśns fr ẃć ɖe mst wn de pe a hevi ilectṛl prîs.
Popylists cn b bìtn. Ɖr wz a tîm nt loñ ago ẃn fy cd tîp ɖt sntns wɖ confidns, so ɖ ǎtcm v Ostreła’z rīsnt ilex́nz wl līv mni pṛgresivz baṭlñ wɖ ɖ stl unfmiłr snseśn v vicṭri.
Scot Morisn, ɖ nǎ ǎstd rîtwñ prîm̦inistr dubd Ostreła’z frst “post-truʈ” līdr, wz nvr qt a Trumpịn. Bt h wz a śemlis culćrworịr prizîdñ ovr a bungld Covid rspons n insywñ rseśn, plus a clumzi rspons t hî-profîl sx́l msconduct aḷgeśnz agnst parḷmntri colīgz. H dragd hiz fīt on ɖ clîṃtcrîsis īvn az apoc̣liptic fludz, fîrz n drǎts wr cnvinsñ Ostrełnz ɖt smʈñ hd t ćenj, n hoḷdeid in Hwîi az wîldfîrz rejd at hom. Hiz oponnt, Lebr’z Ánṭni Alḅnīzi, wz nt xacli oṿbrdnd wɖ c’rizma n ɖ pṛgresiv vot ivnć̣li split btwn Lebr, ɖ Grīnz n ɖ so-cōld tīl indipndnts, an xasṗretd armi v mnli fīmel canddets plejñ t clīn p poḷtics n tacl ɖ clîṃt. Bt ɖ cōśs Alḅnīzi n hiz mantra v “sef ćenj” – nʈñ tù big or sceṛli radicl – stl md it ovr ɖ lîn, hvñ sīmñli lrnt fṛm a prīvịs Lebr dfit blemd on an oṿambiśs maṇfsto. F eni v ɖs sǎndz uncaṇli fmiłr t Britiś rīdrz, ɖen it’s īzi t si ẃ Cir Starmr’z Lebr parti (n indd ɖ Grīnz) mt sudnli hv ɖer teilz p.
Frst Doṇld Trump, ɖen Marine Le Pen in ɖ Frenć preẓdnśl ilex́nz, nǎ Morisn. Ɖs toṗlñ v rîtwñ doṃnoz criets ɖ sns v m’mntm Britiś pṛgresivz hv bn misñ. Nǎ ɖr r s’xesfl campen arc̣tecs t lrn fṛm oṿsìz, n ny îdīaz biyñ rod-tstd in guvnmnt; ɖr wl b frendz in stṛtījic plesz, phps ny eṇji bhnd globl eḟts t combat ɖ clîṃtcrîsis, n ɖ mral-būstñ îdīa ɖt ɖ zîtgîst mt fîṇli b wɖ ɖm. Y cn olmst fīl ɖ pendyḷm swññ awe fṛm a poḷrîzñ n ultiṃtli grubi ira bac twdz a poḷtics at līst vegli cnctd t truʈ n riaḷti. Or at līst y cn f y wont t badli inuf.
Fr a mor sinicl we v lcñ at ɖs z ɖt tū yirz in, Bîdn’z retñz hv sunc far inuf t gv Rpublicnz plenti v hop fr nxt tîm; Le Pén stl got we tù mni vots fr cumḟt; Alḅnīzi’z vicṭri wz nt ʈumpñ; n Britn’z frst-past-ɖ-post sistm mcs similr Grīn brecʈrūz or pṛgresiv alaynsz hardr hir. Nr z Ostreła, ẃć śiftd rîtẉdz in 1996 jst az Britn wz dwñ ɖ rvrs, historicli a vri rlaybl p’liticl weɖrvên.
Ol ɖt sd, ẃt śd snd a śivr dǎn Tori spînz z ɖt Morisn’z agresivli dvîsiv aproć t iśuz sć az iṃgreśn n hiz psyt v soṣ́li cnsrṿtiv Lebr votrz sīmñli cost hiz parti dir in its wlʈịr, mor metṛpolitn formr hartlandz. Ɖ nagñ fir sm Cnsrṿtivz hv ɖt a dayt v slīz, culćrworz n ʈrets t ter p ɖ Brexit dīl wl onli lūz ɖm Tori vots in Wrɖñ or Suri hz jst pleid ǎt on a big scrīn Dǎn Undr, pṛdysñ rufli ɖ cnd v ilectṛl ri’lînmnt ɖe fir.
Ẃt mcs ɖs uɖ̇wz far’we ilex́n fīl closr t hom z ɖt ɖ Ostrełn rît’s ʈncñ rmenz cor t Boris Jonsn’z project. Priti Ptél’z plan t xport asîḷmsīcrz t Rwanda mirrz an Ostrełn scīm t snd refyjīz t Papya Ny Gini, n ś rīsntli hîrd ɖ man hu ngośietd ɖt dīl t līd a rvy v Britn’z Bordrfors. Lintn Crozbi, ɖ 65-yir-old Ostrełn campenzgŭru hu injôz nir-lejnḍri steṭs in ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti, dz’nt prsṇli run campenz eni mor bt h stl tecs ɖ od foncōl; hiz proṭźe Îzac Levido ran Jonsn’z s’xesfl 2019 campen, munʈs aftr hlpñ dlivr a s’prîz vicṭri fr Morisn. Devid Canzini, ɖ ny depyti ćīf v stāf instōld at Dǎnñ Strīt t rstor ordr post-Partiget, hz olso wrct closli wɖ Crozbi. Inṭrestñli ɖ sem qsćnz asct in rīsnt yirz abt Crozbi’z cumṗniz n ɖer past rleśnśps wɖ ɖ fosilfyl inḍstri r nǎ biyñ asct in Ẃîthōl, az ɖ guvnmnt reslz wɖ ẃt t d abt sōrñ gasbilz.
Ɖ Treẓ́ri z viẓbli wormñ t ɖ îdīa v a windfōl tax on ôl n gas cumṗniz, jst so loñ az it dz’nt lc lîc Lebr’z windfōl-tax plan. Bt rports ɖt Dǎnñ Strīt cnsidrz sć a muv “un-Cnsrṿtiv” hv set rūmrz swrlñ. Jonsn hz nvr notisbli cerd ẃɖr smʈñ z or z’nt cnsrṿtiv, f it’s popylr. Bt Canzini cerz. H z clos t ɖ pro-Brexit, lo-tax, stroñli îdịlojicl Tori rît in Britn, sm v hūm olso hapn t b hostîl t ɖ net-ziro ajnda n me prifŕ t si fylbilz cut bî scrapñ grīn taxz (ẃć fund ɖ dveḷpmnt v rnywbl eṇjiz in ɖ longr trm) ɖn intṛdysñ ny taxz.
Ɖ ǎtcm v ol ɖs ranġlñ obvịsli matrz most t ppl hu c’nt pe ɖer hītñbilz, bt it’s a litṃs tst v Dǎnñ Strīt’s intnśnz tù. F ɖ windfōl tax dz’nt hapn sm me bgin t wundr – az an uņemd MP sjstd rīsntli t ɖ Tîmz – abt ɖ guvnmnt’s cmitmnt t ban ɖ insṭleśn v ny gasbôlrz bî 2035. Dz Jonsn riyli wont t g intu an ilex́n argywñ wɖ ǎtrejd pnśnrz hu c’nt aford t rples ɖer sntṛl hītñ? Or z ɖs bold clîṃtpoḷsi tù at risc v biyñ dīmd a “barṇcl on ɖ bot”, ɖt feṃs Crozbi śorthand fr enʈñ ɖt criets uņesṣri frix́n or mudiz ɖ mesij?
Contrri t popylr b’lif, Crozbi dsîplz d’nt jst blîndli run ɖ sem hard-rît campen evri tîm. Instd hiz hōlmarc z claṛti, or ɖ diṣplind reṗtiśn v wn ci mesij cerḟli teilrd t ilectṛl srcmstansz, xcludñ evrʈñ els. Ɖt wz az tru v ɖ Lundn meṛl campen h ran, pićñ Jonsn az a cudli libṛl, az v Levido’z tubʈumpñ “Gt Brexit Dn” campen. Bt campenz r ultiṃtli jst straṭjz fr hlpñ a parti svîv in ofis; ɖ’r nt nesseṛli abt pṛvîdñ ẃt a cuntri acć̣li nīdz. Ẃt’s inṭrestñ abt Ostreła z ɖt votrz sīm t hv bn pragmaticli foc̣st on ɖ latr.
Morisn wz faund wontñ in ʈuṛli practicl wez bî clîṃt imrjnsiz n Covid. Sm v Le Pen’z wîldr îdīaz abt tac̣lñ ɖ cost-v-livñ crîsis fél apart undr scrūṭni. Doṇld Trump dd nt mc America gret agn. Simpl ansrz t complex probḷmz apil, bt ɖe d’nt acć̣li wrc, n ẃn ɖt bcmz penḟli obvịs – ẃɖr bcz wîldfîr smoc z ćocñ yr Melbōrn suburb, or bcz yr xportbiznis z c’lapsñ ʈancs t Brexit – ɖen popylists bcm vulnṛbl. Phps ɖ most ysfl lésn t tec fṛm Ostreła z ɖt bad poḷtics cn stl mlt on contact wɖ incnvińnt truɖz. Ɖt fīlñ y vegli rec̣gnîz, bt c’nt qt pt a fngr on? Ɖt wd b hop.
