Tag Archives: William Keegan

Fṛm Đ Obzrvr: Brexit is the villain in accidental death of the economy

‘The actors change but the roles remain the same’: Sunak has continued Johnson’s legacy on Brexit. Photograph: WPA/Getty Images
‘Ɖ actrz ćenj bt ɖ rǒlz rmen ɖ sem’: Sūnac hz cntinyd Jonsn’z leġsi on Brexit. Foṭgraf: WPA/Geti Iṃjz

Brexit z ɖ viḷn in axdntl deʈ v ɖ icoṇmi

(Transcription of an Observer article of 6 August 2023)

Lîc caṛctrz in Dario Fo’z fars, w cmplen abt, bt toḷret, ɖ most daṃjñ p’liticl scandl v ǎr tîm

William Keegan
Wiłm Cīgn

Súnde, 6 Ōġst 2023

At ɖ bginñ v ɖ frst Ʈaćr guvnmnt (1979-83), ɖ icoṇmist Jon Ceniʈ Galbrêʈ rout ɖt Britn wz ɖ prfict ples t conduct ɖ dybịs muniṭrist xperimnt rec̣mndd bî hiz felo icoṇmist Miltn Frīdmn. Ɖs wz bcz olɖo Galbrêʈ (rîtli) ʈt ɖ poḷsi wz crezi, Britiś “flém” wd si s ʈru, n ɖ tolṛnt neśn wd nt “tec t ɖ strīts”.

Ɖs meṃri cem t mînd rīsntli ẃn I wz at ɖ rvîvl v ɖt gret 1970z clasic Axdntl Deʈ v an Aṇcist. Dario Fo n Franca Rame’z fars hz bn updetd bî Tom Bazdn, n z a fîv-star trîumf. Ɖ meṃri wz ivoct bî ɖ sntṛl caṛctr, ɖ “meńac”, dclerñ: “Scandl z t ssayti ẃt cnfeśn z t ɖ sinr. It’s a cʈarsis [ɖt] fixz nʈñ: ɖ hostîl invîrnmnts, ɖ suij in ɖ sīz, ɖ piṛjz fr p’liticl donrz. N ẃt’s ɖ rzult? D w arest enwn? Cn w ćenj enʈñ? V cors nt … In glorịs dmocṛsiz sć az ǎrz, w gt t mon abt it instd.”

Ɖ most glẹrñ xampl v ɖs public tolṛns n monñ z v cors – wêt fr it – Brexit. Ɖ damij mǎnts, bt ɖr hz bn nʈñ in ɖ śep v a public inqîri or a royl cmiśn intu ẃt z indybitbli ɖ bigist n most daṃjñ p’liticl n ic̣nomic scandl v ǎr tîm.

Az ɖ “meńac” obzrvz: “Ɖ actrz ćenj, v cors, bt ɖ rǒlz rmen ɖ sem.” Ɖ miscrịnts hu cónd ɖ neśn – Boris Jonsn; Mîcl “Ppl hv hd inuf v xprts” Gov; Nîjl “Hǎ I luv ɖ lîmlît” F’rāź; Dańl “Brexit wl nt mīn līvñ ɖ sngl marcit, n ʈancs fr ɖ pirij” Hann; n a cast v ʈǎzndz – jst cari on śemlisli, ẃl ɖer rplesmnts, Riśi Sūnac n co, tec p ɖ banr, n Cir Starmr, wns a nobl rmenr, ofndz hiz naćṛl folowrz bî rūlñ ǎt rījônñ ɖ YY or īvn ɖ sngl marcit.

Ǒ, d’nt wuri, I am tld. Wns ɖe r in – f, az wîdli xpctd, ɖe win – Lebr wl mnd rleśnz wɖ ɖ YY. Bt, hañ on a minit: unls sm amezñ ivnt ocŕz, ɖr z unlîcli t b an ilex́n fr at līst anɖr yir, jrñ ẃć tîm Brexit wl rīc mor n mor damij, nt līst t ɖ cuntri’z fiscl pziśn.

Ẃć brñz s t ɖ topic ɖt hz bn doṃnetñ ɖ ic̣nomic nyz in ɖ past wīc: ɖ hî levl v inṭrestrets w r promist fr ɖ fōrsiybl fyćr on acǎnt v ɖ guvnmnt’s n ɖ Banc v Ñgḷnd’z dtrṃneśn t brñ ɖ ret v infleśn dǎn t 2% wɖn ẃt z noun az ɖ “fōrcastpirịd” – 18 munʈs t tū yirz – īvn at ɖ cost v rseśn.

Nǎ, ẃn ɖe r nt tayñ ɖmslvz p in sttisticl nóts, mî felo icoṇmists fṛm tîm t tîm rmînd s ɖt ẃt īc̣nomics śd riyli b abt z ɖ qoḷti v lîf. Mî frend Emos Witztum, in hiz mońmntl wrc Ɖ Btreyl v Libṛl Īc̣nomics, argyz forsḟli ɖt tù mć atnśn z peid t ic̣nomic groʈ, n nt inuf t a fer distṛbyśn v ic̣nomic rzorsz. “Distṛbyśn” hz v cors bn ɖ stuf v p’liticl dbet fr decedz, bt lîf z nt gwñ t gt eni īzịr f ǎtpt stagnets or fōlz, ẃć, bî deḟniśn, it dz jrñ a rseśn.

Ɖ teribl ʈñ z ɖt aftr imbarcñ on a nīdlis poḷsi v osteṛti fṛm 2010, n ɖen biyñ brǎbìtn intu a reḟrendm ɖe òt t rgret fr ɖ rest v ɖer livz, īvn ɖ non-mnaycl Toriz hv dn mć t dminiś ɖ qoḷti v lîf in ɖs cuntri.

Ẃ z infleśn so mć gretr a ʈret hir ɖn in ɖ YS or ɖ YY? Bcz v Brexit n its impact on ɖ cost v livñ. Indd, impndñ frɖr incrisz in ɖ cost v importñ fūd fṛm ɖ YY r olrdi frîṭnñ ɖ guvnmnt intu dleyñ ɖ nxt bǎt v byṛcratic reğleśnz rqîrd bî ɖ foli v Brexit.

Wn fînl, non-Brexit, xampl v nīdlis inṭfiṛns in ɖ qoḷti v lîf. In comn wɖ mni ppl v a srtn ej, I lîc bcñ trenticits fṛm a riyl prsn in a riyl ticit ofis. Indd, I am mć imprest bî ɖ cntińl flo v rsrć ẃć inḍcets ɖt sć sośl inṭćenjz r gd fr wn’z qoḷti v lîf.

Bt ɖr z anɖr pônt: in an ej ẃn corṗreśnz hv fūld “cnsymrz” intu ʈncñ ɖt ɖe śd d ɖ wrc on ɖ inṭnet, it z mć mor saṭsfayñ – n ifiśnt – t rlî on xprts t advîz wn wɖ travl arenjmnts. Yt w r tld ɖt ɖ guvnmnt hz instructd ɖ trencumṗniz t bgin clozñ ol ɖer ticit ofisz.

I īvn hŕd an ofiśl seyñ on ɖ Tde program ɖt ɖs wd b an impruvmnt in ifiśnsi n wd fri stāf t b on ɖ platform t hlp “custmrz” wɖ qiriz. Hǎ pasinjrz wd b ebl t gt on t ɖ platform wɖt a ticit fṛm ɖ clozd ticit ofis wz nt xplend.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Obzrvr: Even Farage says Brexit has failed. Why won’t Starmer?

Keir Starmer on visit to Scotland last week. Photograph: Euan Cherry/PA
Cir Starmr on vizit t Scotḷnd last wīc. Foṭgraf: Ywn Ćeri/PA

Īvn F’rāź sz Brexit hz feld. Ẃ w’nt Starmr?

(Transcription of an Observer article of 28 May 2023)

Az evri sectr cǎnts ɖ mǎntñ cost v ǎr caṭstrofic brec wɖ Yṛp, Lebr mst fînd its nrv

William Keegan
Wiłm Cīgn

Súnde 28 Me 2023

Ẃt d mî frendz ɖ ḿziśnz Stñ, Jon Eʈ̇rij n Tom MGinis (v ɖ Manfridz) hv in comn, apart fṛm ḿzic? Ɖe hv rīsntli tld m ɖe r witṇsñ frst-hand ɖ fṛstreśnz v Brexit: los v ɖ beṇfits v frīdm v muvmnt, n ɖ byṛcratic damij inflictd on wn v ɖs cuntri’z wîdli rec̣gnîzd streñʈs, nemli ɖ crietiv arts.

In ɖs ɖe r jônd bî most Britiś mańfacćrrz n membrz v ɖ hosṗtaḷti inḍstri. Ɖz r struġlñ t fînd rplesmnts fr ɖ YY wrcrz hu hv bn md t fīl unwelcm n hv bn ifctivli bánd, or votd wɖ ɖer fīt. Ol ɖer wd-bi imployrz ʈnc Brexit z hyjli daṃjñ t ɖer rspctiv bizṇsz, n wd lîc t rvrs it.

Morovr, ɖe canot unḍstand ẃ ɖ Lebr parti z biyñ so wet on ɖ iśu. Wn hírz ɖ vy ɖt Cir Starmr z pleyñ a cōśs n clevr gem. Bt wn olso hírz ɖ vy ɖt, fr ol ɖ eḟts v Starmr n śadoćanslr Rećl Rīvz t cnvins ɖ public ɖt Lebr hz a viźn, ɖs viźn z cmñ acrs az biyñ smẃt blŕd, n misṭli cnfyzñ.

At a tîm ẃn opińnpoulz śo ɖt clir mjoṛtiz v rspondnts ʈnc Brexit wz a mstec, n wn v ɖ prîm culprits, ɖ igrījs Nîjl F’rāź, admits ɖt “Brexit hz feld”, Lebr sīmz teṛfaid v sizñ ɖ oṗtyṇti v a p’liticl lîftîm, n simpli gwñ fr rījônñ.

Bfr w cntiny, it śd b notd ɖt, inevitbli, F’rāź blemz evrwn bt himslf fr ɖ dzastr v Brexit, n śoz no sînz, az yt, v flfilñ hiz promis t “liv abrōd” f Brexit pruvd t b ɖ dzastr it indybitbli z.

Ɖ ultiṃt îṛni, az ɖ formr YY cmiśnr fr comṗtiśn Mario Monti rmîndd s in ɖ Fînanśl Tîmz, z ɖt “ɖ beṇfits v sć a s’xesfl project [ɖ sngl marcit], huz peṛnts wr tū Britiś poḷtiśnz (prîm̦inistr Marġrit Ʈaćr n cmiśnr Arʈr Cǒfīld) wd ivnć̣li b gvn p bî ɖ YC az part v Brexit”.

I canot rfren fṛm rmîndñ ppl v ǎr Brexitr prîm̦inistr Riśi Sūnac’s Frôdịn slip in pôntñ ǎt t ɖ ōcẉd sqod in ɖ Norɖn Îriś Deṃcratic Yńnist parti ɖt bî biyñ in ɖ YC n ɖ sngl marcit ɖe hd ɖ bst v bʈ wrldz.

It z a comn rfren ɖt “ʈñz r gwñ t pot” n “nʈñ sīmz t b wrcñ proprli” – an xaɉreśn, phps, bt an unḍstanḍbl wn. Bt wn ʈñ z abundntli clir: ppl cn no longr blem ɖ YY fr ɖer trublz. Yirz v osteṛti n nglect r caćñ p wɖ s.

Ẃć brñz s bac t Lebr. I cmnd ɖ vy v Trevr Grīʈm v Royl Lundn: “Ẃl ɖr wz’nt a ‘Brexit diṿdnd’ ɖr wd srtnli b a ‘rvrsñ Brexit’ diṿdnd. Eni parti cmñ in t ofis wɖ a creḍbl promis t jôn ɖ sngl marcit, or ultiṃtli ɖ YY, wd b ebl t bes ɖer tax n spendñ planz on a sgnificntli larjr icoṇmi wɖ OBR apruvl” – a refṛns t ɖ Ofis fr Bujit Rsponsbiḷti’z wîdli axptd calkleśn ɖt ɖ macroec̣nomic cost v Brexit rîzz t abt 4% or £100bn a yir.

Ɖ oltrṇtiv, sz Grīʈm, z ɖ “osteṛti marc tū” olrdi pnsld in fr ɖs guvnmnt’s planz fr public spendñ śd it win ɖ nxt ilex́n.

Nǎ, ɖ damij biyñ cōzd bî Brexit z mǎntñ viẓbli bî ɖ de. Mî tū objx́nz t ɖoz poḷtiśnz n coḷmnists hu se it wl b yirz bfr w cn rījôn r, frst, ɖ damij z gaṛntìd t intnṣfî ẃn ɖ nxt stej v ɖ barịrz t tred cmz intu fors at ɖ end v ɖs yir, n, secnd, ɖr r stl ultṛrîtwñ Brexitrz hu r trayñ t infors ɖ abandnmnt v ʈǎzndz v YY lwz, ẃć wd mc it ɖt mć mor dificlt t ngośiet rientri. So far īvn Brexitr Sūnac hz wordd ɖm of on most iśuz, bt ɖoz YRG fnatics r stl hard at it.

Aftr ɖ sirñ xpirịns wɖ ɖ 2016 reḟrendm, ppl wuri abt ɖ gosts ɖt mt ri’pir f ɖr z anɖr. Bt ẃ boɖr? Edẉd Hīʈ sīmz t b rmembrd prinsipli fr ɖ ʈri-de wīc v 1973-74 n biyñ bròt dǎn bî ɖ mainrz. Bt h olso gz dǎn in hisṭri fr x’sîzñ ɖ līdrśp t tec s intu ẃt wz ɖen ɖ Yṛpiyn Ic̣nomic Cḿṇti in 1973 – it wz Haṛld Wilsn hu hld a reḟrendm in 1975 t recnsîl ɖ disidnts in ɖ Lebr parti. Msz Ʈaćr dd nt fīl ɖ nīd t hold a reḟrendm in 1986 ẃn w jônd ɖ sngl marcit.

In mî vy, Starmr śd cm ǎt stroñli, n sn, fr rientri. H śd mc it an ilex́n iśu, ẃl haṃrñ hom ɖ mǎntñ costs v a Brexit ćampịnd bî a felñ n toṭli dscredtd Cnsrṿtiv-Brexit parti.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: Brexit has made Britain the sick man of Europe again

Rishi Sunak at the G20 summit this month. Of the G20 economies, only Russia’s is expected to perform worse than the UK’s. Photograph: Reuters
Riśi Sūnac at ɖ G20 sumit ɖs munʈ. V ɖ G20 icoṇmiz, onli Ruśa’z z xpctd t pform wrs ɖn ɖ YC’z. Foṭgraf: Rôtrz

Brexit hz md Britn ɖ sic man v Yṛp agn

(Transcription of a Guardian article of 27 Nov. 2022)

Ɖ YY dd wundrz fr ɖ icoṇmi: ɖt wz ẃ w jônd. Ǎr dparćr fṛm it z nǎ ol tù obvịsli costñ s ɖt pṛspeṛti

William Keegan
Wiłm Cīgn

Wiłm Cīgn, Súnde 27 Nvmbr 2022

Ẃn rīsntli asct on ɖ Tde program t sáit ćaptr n vrs on ɖ subjict v Brexit “oṗtyṇtiz” Mîcl Gov, ɖ secṛtri v stet fr ol sīznz, wz hoplisli ǎt v hiz depʈ.

Hvr, Gov míst a tric. Ẃt h śd hv sd, bt az a sînd-up Brexitr obvịsli cd nt, wz ɖt ɖ onli “oṗtyṇti” arîzñ fṛm Brexit wz t conduct a sạntific xperimnt t demnstret ɖt ɖ hol îdīa wz a mstec. Morovr, it wz a confidnstric on ɖ Britiś public, ɖ mjoṛti v hūm nǎ riylîz ɖt ɖe hv bn hd.

Az biznis n inḍstri strugl wɖ ɖ consiqnsz v impozñ sañśnz on ǎr abiḷti t tred wɖ ǎr larjist marcit, n sitiznz – noun t icoṇmists az “cnsymrz” – strugl wɖ ɖ hayr importprîsz impozd bî ɖ dvalyeśn rzultñ fṛm Brexit, ɖ poulz r pṛnǎnsñ ppl’z vrdict on Brexit wɖ a vnjns.

A rīsnt YGuv poul tlz s ɖt 56% v ppl ʈnc w wr roñ t līv ɖ YY n onli 32% ɖt w wr rît. Īvn 19% v ɖoz hu ǒn p t hvñ votd līv nǎ ʈnc ɖe wr roñ. Ɖ onli ej grūp cntenñ a mjoṛti stl in fevr v Brexit z ɖ ovr-65z – I hv t se ɖe r nt amñ ɖ ovr-65z I mslf bump intu, bt ɖr it z. N 88% v ɖoz hu votd Lebr in 2019 ʈnc līv wz ɖ roñ dsiźn. (Cir Starmr n śadoćanslr Rećl Rīvz plīz not!)

It z obvịs ɖt ɖ mor intelijnt membrz v ɖ Sūnac/Hunt cabiṇt hv got ɖ mesij fṛm ɖ CBI n elsẃr ɖt w nīd, fr ɖ sec v ǎr icoṇmi n ɖ jenṛl welfér, t rījôn ɖ sngl marcit. Bt ɖs z ɖ luv ɖt der nt spīc its nem, īvn ɖo it apirz ɖt attydz twdz iṃgreśn – fri muvmnt! – hv ćenjd sins 2016, ẃn ɖ igrījs Boris Jonsn, himslf v Trciś ansstri, f’mntd anti-imigṛnt fīlñ wɖ nonsns abt an iminnt flud v Trciś imigṛnts.

Sūnac hz pict p ɖ mesij ɖt ɖ comḅneśn v Brexit n ɖ ceos in ɖ Cnsrṿtiv n Brexit parti hz léd foṛn obzrvrz t cnclud ɖt Britn z sncñ fast. Acordñ t ɖ Orġnîześn fr Ic̣nomic Cooṗreśn n Dveḷpmnt, v ɖ grūp v 20 līdñ icoṇmiz, onli Ruśa z pformñ wrs ɖn ɖ YC. Yes, w wr noun az ɖ “sic man v Yṛp” untl w jônd ɖ Yṛpiyn Yńn n – ges ẃt? – w hv left ɖ YY n hv rgend ɖt dybịs steṭs.

Membrśp v ɖ YY dd gret ʈñz fr ɖs cuntri. Bʈ Lebr n Cnsrṿtiv guvnmnts fòt ɖer cornr n, on ɖ hol, got ẃt ɖe wontd. Marġrit Ʈaćr n hr rît-hand ngośietr Lord Cǒfīld pleid a blîndr in ɖ setñ p v ɖ sngl marcit, n Jon Mejr aćivd wundrz at Maastricht wɖ ɖ YC’z opt-ǎt fṛm ɖ sngl cuṛnsi. Az fr rîtwñ cnsrnz abt “evr closr” yńn, ɖe wr dyli aswejd. In esns, ẃt ɖoz ol tù influenśl līvrz aćivd wz a hol̦i uņesṣri Brexit ɖt śot ɖ icoṇmi in ɖ ft.

Ɖ Ofis fr Bujit Rsponsbiḷti calklets ɖ kḿḷtiv damij v Brexit wl b inuf t noc 4% evri yir of ǎr ptnśl GDP. Az Mîcl Sōndrz, a formr membr v ɖ Banc v Ñgḷnd’z munitri-poḷsi cmiti, hz sd: “Ɖ nīd fr taxrîzz [n] spendñcuts wd’nt b ɖr f Brexit hd’nt rdyst ɖ icoṇmi’z ptnśl ǎtpt so mć.” N ɖ Fînanśl Tîmz rīsntli rportd ɖt mni v ɖ asetmanijrz hūm Sūnac n Hunt wr trayñ t paṣfî aftr ɖ Trus-Qarteñ fiasco wr cnsrnd abt ɖ denjrz v oṿdwñ osteṛti!

It wz a formr Treẓ́ri prṃnnt secṛtri, Lord Crowm, hu obzrvd t ɖ historịn Lord Heṇsi n m wns: “Ẃt matrz z nt baḷnsñ ɖ bujit bt baḷnsñ ɖ icoṇmi.” Yt, wɖ ɖ rīsnt bujit n ɖ ćanslr’z “śoc n horr” tōc, w sīm t b bac t ɖ ira v sedomuniṭrizm. W r srtnli a loñ we fṛm baḷnsñ ɖ icoṇmi.

Ɖ icoṇmist Jim Bōl yst t se h wz sspiśs v ɖ OBE – nt ɖ Ordr v ɖ Britiś Empîr, bt ɖ ppl hu gv y Wn Big Xpḷneśn.

Fr ɖs guvnmnt, ɖ WBX fr ǎr ic̣nomic trublz wz frst Covid, ɖen Ycren. I am nt seyñ Brexit z ɖ cōz v ol ǎr probḷmz bt – mî gdnis! – it hz magṇfaid ɖm. Wɖ dy rspct t ɖ meṃri v ɖ lêt Pṛf. Bōl, I śd lîc t noṃnet Brexit az ɖ Wn Big Xpḷneśn fr ẃ ɖs icoṇmi z fẹrñ so mć wrs ɖn ɖ rest v ɖ G20.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm ɖ Obzrvr │ Even Macron still hopes Brexit Britain will come to its senses

Keir Starmer in the Commons: Brexit is, or should be, an open goal for the opposition. Photograph: Jessica Taylor/PA
Cir Starmr in ɖ Comnz: Brexit z, or śd b, an opn gol fr ɖ opziśn. Foṭgraf: Jesica Teilr/PA

Īvn Macron stl hops Brexit Britn wl cm t its snsz

(Transcription of an Observer article of 28 November 2021)

Līvñ ɖ YY hz hd a teṛbl impact on ol partiz. W mst grasp ɖt it z a poḷsi ɖt canot b md t wrc

William Keegan

Wiłm Cīgn, Súnde 28 Nvmbr 2021

“Xcz m, sr, bt ẃ r y wẹrñ a popi? Rmembṛns De wz on Ʈrzde.” Ɖ spīcr wz a Spaniś jntlṃn. Ɖ sīn: ɖ brecfstrūm v a hotel in Valladolid, an aur’z trenrîd norʈ-wst v Mdrid, on Saṭde, ɖ 13ʈ v ɖs munʈ. I wz struġlñ wɖ ɖ tostr. Y nǒ hǎ it z ẃn wn arîvz at a slfsrvis brecfstrūm.

I rplaid ɖt I olwz wòr a popi untl Rmembṛns Súnde, ẃn ɖr wz ɖ tṛdiśnl Seṇtaf p’red in Lundn. “Ā,” h sd. “Fgiv m, bt ẃ on rʈ dd yr cuntri vot ɖ we it dd?”

It trnd ǎt ɖt mî inṭloktr wz a hisṭripṛfesr at Mdrid Yṇvrṣti. H pṛsidd t por hiz hart ǎt abt ɖ traɉdi v Brexit, n ɖ apōlñ impact it z hvñ on Britn’z rleśnz wɖ ɖ cuntriz ɖt Boris Jonsn rfŕz t – aftr ol ɖ ićnomic n dipḷmatic carnij hiz Brexitrz r inflictñ – az “ǎr Yṛpiyn partnrz.”

Viẓtñ Spen aftr olmst tū yirz v absns fṛm ɖ continnt wz an olmst yforic xpirịns. Yṛp! A fîn historic Spaniś siti, nn ɖ wrs fr biyñ reḷtivli uņoun – xpt, phps, fr its ftbōltīm – t ɖ Brits hu fevr ɖ Costa del Brexit. Ẃt a trīt t b rīviẓtñ ɖ Yṛpiyn Yńn w bcem part v undr mor inlîtnd Cnsrṿtiv līdrz ɖn ɖ preznt śǎr.

Tru, t vizit ǎr dōtr – hu tīćz Ñgliś in Valladolid – ɖr wz an ōfl lot v fṛstretñ Brexit byrocṛsi. Ɖs wz on top v ɖ tîrsm, f hoļi unḍstanḍbl, pepr, cmpytr n smartfon wrc nseṣtetd bî Covid pricōśnz. Bt ẃt a rlif it wz t si ɖt, unlîc in Jonsn’z Ñgḷnd, mascs wr biyñ wòrn evrẃr: sm cnx́n, śrli, wɖ ɖ lo Covid caźltiret in Spen.

I hd jst réd, in an inṭvy wɖ ɖ Ny Yṛpiyn, ɖt gret Yṛpiyn Ceniʈ Clārc obzrvñ ɖt undr Jonsn, huz Brexit-inflictd damij cn no longr b cnfyzd wɖ ɖ impact v Covid, “w r nǎ gtñ denjṛsli clos t ɖ ‘ilectd dictetrśp’ ɖt Lord Hêlśm, ɖ formr lord ćanslr, wornd s abt haf a snć̣ri ago”.

Bt ɖr z hop. Ɖ wd-bi dictetr z biyñ faund ǎt. I hv bn rīrīdñ Ánṭni Pǎl’z Dans t ɖ Ḿzic v Tîm. Ɖr z a gret pasij: “Hvr, lîc most untruswrɖi prsnz, Uncl Jîlz hd ɖ gift v inspîrñ confidns in a gret mni ppl wɖ hūm h cem in contact. Īvn ɖoz hu, t ɖer cost, hd noun him fr yirz, smtmz faund dificlti in esṭmetñ ɖ leñʈs t ẃć h cd cari hiz lac v rlạbiḷti – n indd śir inćpaṣti – in matrz v biznis.” Dz ɖs rmînd y v enwn?

Ɖ gd nyz z ɖt nt onli r hiz parḷmntri colīgz n ɖoz hŭdwnct “red wōl” votrz bginñ t rumbl Jonsn: it lcs az ɖo ɖ līdr v ɖ opziśn, Sr Cir Starmr, hz fîṇli dscuvrd, in ɖ spirit v hiz gret prīdisesr Haṛld Wilsn, ɖt riḍkl z a fîn dbetñtūl.

Amñ ɖ Jonsn apôntīz hu srtnli dzrv t b riḍkld z hiz so-cōld “ngośietr”, Devid Frost. Unforćṇtli, Starmr canot gt at him d’recli bcz Jonsn caṭpultd Frost intu ɖ Hǎs v Lordz. Bt I gaɖr Lord Adonis hz a gd g at him ɖr. Frost z on record bfr ɖ reḟrendm az pôntñ t ɖ cnsidṛbl advantjz v membrśp v ɖ custmzyńn n sngl marcit, ẃć h ɖen pt at p t 8% v GDP, or £1,500 a yir p’ prsn on aṿrij incm.

H śd hv stuc t hiz gunz n nt sold hiz soul t ɖ Brexit devl. Ẃć brñz s bac t Starmr, hu wz rît t opoz Brexit, n śd olso most srtnli hv stuc t hiz gunz. Ɖ dzastr v Brexit z an opn gol fr ɖ opziśn. It z no gd ispǎzñ a poḷsi v “mcñ Brexit wrc”. Ɖ fact v ɖ matr z ɖt Brexit z’nt wrcñ n canot wrc.

Dspt ol ɖ iṛteśn Brexit hz inflictd on ǎr partnrz in Yṛp, ɖe r awer ɖt ɖ snṣbl ʈñ fr s wd b t priper ɖ we bac, olbiit wɖ ǎr teil btwn ǎr legz. Ɖ cuntriz v Yṛp nǒ ɖt ɖe beṇfitd fṛm Britiś membrśp – nt līst fṛm ɖ sngl marcit ɖt ɖ YC ćampịnd bfr luzñ its snsz.

In hiz ny bc Yṛp Bynd ɖ Yro, Ćarlz Īnoc v St Anṭni’z Colij, Oxḟd, qots Imańl Macron az seyñ: “In a fy yirz’ tîm, ɖ YC wl b ebl t fînd its ples, f it wśz” in ɖ YY – a YY ɖt wd b “rīfoc̣st on uncompṛmîzñ valyz n an ifctiv marcit.”

Mnẃl, cn enwn tel m f ɖr z eni presidnt fr ɖs dgri v naśnl slfharm?

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MOR ARTICLZ Fṛm Đ Gardịn

Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm Đ Gardịn │ The Brexit elite cannot hope to fool us for much longer

Boris Johnson: vaulting ambition, but varying convictions. Photograph: Getty Images
Boris Jonsn: vōltñ ambiśn, bt vẹriyñ cnvix́nz. Foṭgraf: Geti Iṃjz

Ɖ Brexit ilit canot hop t fūl s fr mć longr

(Transcription of a Guardian article of 4 April 2021)

Ex̣tñ ɖ YY wz nt gd fr Britn. Grīd dd nt brñ s ɖ vaxīn. Jonsn’z naṛtivz wl nt stand ɖ lît v de

William Keegan

Wiłm Cīgn, 4 Epril 2021

Ɖr cn b fy ppl hu hv nt at sm stej in ɖer lîvz felt ɖt ɖe hd bn “tecn fr a rîd” or cond. Yt ɖt, I ʈnc, wl b ɖ dōnñ rịlîześn v a fer pṛporśn v ɖ 37% v ɖ ilectṛt hu – wɖt, in most cesz, hvñ ɖ fentist îdīa v ɖ impḷceśnz – votd on 23 Jūn 2016 t līv ɖ Yṛpiyn Yńn.

Nǎ, yẓ́li, f wn z cond, it z ovr sm reḷtivli mînr matr in ɖ gret scīm v ʈñz, n wn lrnz wn’z lésn. Bt ẃn a sgnificnt part v a cuntri z tecn fr a rîd, it canot b dsmist az a trivịl matr fṛm ẃć it cn īẓli rcuvr.

Sć, I b’liv, z ɖ cndiśn v ɖ YC at ɖ momnt. I rīd ol ɖs stuf abt “Teflon Jonsn” – a prim̦inistr upn hūm ɖ sún nvr sets n t hūm no akześn stics, hvr jusṭfaid. N I nǒ ɖt ɖ Brexitrz r hvñ a “cloʈ v gold” de, luvñ ɖ fact ɖt ɖ unḍstanḍbl obseśn wɖ ɖ Pleg z obskrñ ɖ damij biyñ cōzd bî Brexit – damij ẃć z nt obskr t ɖ ʈǎzndz v smōl n mīdịm-sîzd bizṇsz huz vri fyćr z at stec, mni v ẃć r hvñ t set p oṗreśnz wɖn – ges ẃt – ɖ YY’z sngl marcit.

Nɖr wl it b at ol obskr, ẃn ɖ Covid rstrix́nz r ivnć̣li īzd, t a hol jeṇreśn v yuñ ppl hu hv groun p injoyñ ɖ frīdm t travl, tec Irazṃs scoḷrśps n wrc enẃr in ɖ YY.

At tîmz v naśnl crîsis, it pez t lisn t ɖ gret plêraits. Raitñ in ɖ Ny Stetsmn, Devid Hér mcs ɖ pônt ɖt ɖ riyl culprits in ɖ Brexit fiasco r nt ɖ “red wōl” victimz v an osteṛti-indyst discntnt roñli atribytd t ǎr membrśp v ɖ YY. No: ɖe r cumftbli of membrz v an influenśl ilit. Hér raits: “Ɖ ppl hu wr despṛt t pl Britn awe fṛm its jịgraficl murñz wr az lîcli t b faund in Naitsbrij az in Hartḷpūl. Ɖ līdr v ɖ YC Indipndns Parti, Nîjl Farāj, hu pt ɖ fir v God intu ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti, wz a stocbrocr. Hiz prinsipl ćirlīdrz wr pres ǒnrz, peid-up membrz v an ilit hu ol livd abrōd: Rūṗt Mrdoc, Lord Roɖ̇mir n ɖ Barcli bruɖrz.”

Ɖe srtnli pt ɖ fir v God intu Devid Camṛn, wɖ hiz il-jujd reḟrendm – n, v cors, vōltñ ambiśn pswedd influenśl poḷtiśnz sć az Jonsn n Gov t g alñ fr ɖ rîd. Ɖen ɖr wr ɖ dludd bt ol-tù-ifctiv odbōlz (hiz ǒn wrd) sć az “Î-Tst” Cumñz, hu argyd ɖt Brexit wd b gd fr ɖ YC’z saynsbes. Unforćṇtli, ɖ rvrs z pruvñ t b ɖ ces. Smwn fr hūm I hv rɖr mor rspct ɖn ɖ igrījs Cumñz z Sr Pōl Nrs, d’rectr v ɖ Fransis Cric Insttyt n a Nobél lorịt. H sz: “Sm v ɖ cuts w’v bn hírñ abt wd b caṭstrofic, īvn existnśl.”

Jst az hlʈ n uɖr isnśl wrcrz hv cm p trumps jrñ ɖ pleg, so Britn’z sayntists hv rizn t ɖ fōr in ɖ impresivli rapid dveḷpmnt v vaxīnz. It śd nvr b fgotn ɖt Jonsn rīsntli dclerd: “Ɖ rīzn w hv ɖ vaxīns’xes z bcz v capiṭlizm, bcz v grīd, mî frendz.” Luc̣li, Jonsn hz hiz eṇmiz wɖn ɖ preznt, larjli godḟsecn, Cnsrṿtiv-Brexit parti n ɖs rmarc wz imīɉtli līct. Ǒ, jst a joc, sd hiz frendz. No, yr onr: I sbmit ɖt ɖs wz ɖ tru Jonsn. At a tîm ẃn h pez lipsrvis t cerrz, ɖ man w hv t cōl prim̦inistr z a d’nt-cerr.

Wêt a minit: Jonsn’s preșecṛtri sz ɖ PM “dz b’liv in ɖ wîdr prínsiplz v integṛti n oṇsti”. V cors! Cocniz hv a trm fr hiz sort: h’z a wîd bô.

Evrwn nz ɖt it wz ɖ NHS n ǎr sayntists hu cem t ɖ resk, nt grīd or capiṭlizm. Morovr, ɖr z nʈñ Britn dd t dveḷp ɖ vaxīn ɖt w cd nt hv dn wɖn ɖ YY. Indd, nwñ az I d hǎ mć Britiś inflụns in Bruslz wz aprīśietd bî uɖr membrstets, I sspct ɖt f w hd rmend insd ɖ yńn w śd hv actd az a beṇfiśnt inflụns, privntñ ɖm fṛm gtñ intu sć a tangl ovr vaxīnz.

In hiz novl Ɖ Ʈri Clarcs, Ánṭni Troḷp rout v ɖ 19ʈ-snć̣ri prim̦inistr Sr Roḅt Pīl: “Psteṛti wl pônt at him az a poḷtiśn wɖt a poḷsi, az a stetsmn wɖt a prínsipl, az a wrśpr at ɖ ōltr v xpīdịnsi, t hūm nɖr vǎz sworn t frendz nr decḷreśnz md t hiz cuntri, wr in eni we bîndñ.’

Rmînd y v enwn? Bt Pīl cnductd sevṛl spectaklr U-trnz, nt līst on ɖ cornlwz n Caʈ̇lic imanṣpeśn. F onli Jonsn wr t d an U-trn on Brexit n, lîc Pīl, pt cuntri bfr parti.

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MOR ARTICLZ Fṛm Đ Gardịn

Instroduction to Ñspel