Here we are dear friends, good news at last from the United Kingdom. We have a decent Conservative majority in the House of Commons, with a reasonably sound Prime Minister for the first time this century. How do I feel? Relieved mainly. The prospect of a Labour government led by a terrorist snuggling old school Marxist did not fill me with joy. I do feel hopeful as well, at last we stand a chance of the vote to leave the EU being carried out, although it’s a cautious optimism. Even with a pro Brexit PM with a good majority it is a difficult process, and I can’t shake the nagging doubt that it was the Conservative Party that got us into this nasty situation in the first place, from joining the Common Market, to signing the Maastricht Treaty to where we are today. Still, it doesn’t do to be too sceptical, let’s allow Boris the chance to disappoint us in his own time and his own way.
Oh the sweet, sweet tears
One thing that is genuinely joyous is the shivering, petulant and just plain butt hurt response of the various wishy-washy lefties. The little dash of leftist tears in my Laphroaig just sets it off nicely, the peaty depth of the single malt brought out by their bittersweet tang. Of course, later I will have long hot bath in leftist tears, there’s enough of them about.
The reaction has not been quite as demented as the reaction to Trump’s election was, but there are parallels. There is genuine incomprehension from those who live in their little leftist bubbles. “Not my Prime Minister!” has become the cry, and there have been protests around the country, as if you can protest reality away. I say protests, you might say riots in some cases, but they’re not right wing. Have you ever noticed how a right wing protestor only needs to look at a copper in a funny way to be called a rioter? Anyway, a handy flow chart has been produced for those who have difficulty with the reality.
The fake fear pieces about Moslems who now “feel unwelcome” in their own country take me back to the Conservative victory in 1979. As a small boy standing in the playground with my friends, mostly of Indian, Pakistani and Caribbean parentage we actually were scared, we’d been told that busses would come to take all the black and brown kids away if Maggie Thatcher got in. The busses never came of course, but the left still keeps minority communities in its pocket with fairy tales about Conservative racism. No one is unwelcome here if they are loyal to the Queen and Country, whatever their faith, politics or race.
In Boris’s back yard
On the night of the poll I was in Boris Johnson’s constituency, Uxbridge and South Ruislip, in northwest London. I wrote that I thought he’d hold his seat; I had a sneaking suspicion he might even increase his majority. I should have trusted my gut and had a tenner on it; he did indeed increase his majority from 5,034 to 7,210. One clue was the sheer lack of activity I experienced. If there was groundswell against him, I’d expect to see it, feel it. I read one piece by a journo earlier in the campaign who was frustrated by the reluctance of the good people of Uxbridge to discuss the election. In a couple of pubs he was even asked not to talk to patrons. When folk are keeping quiet about their voting intentions they’re usually intending to vote right. Another little tell was the clumsy choice of candidate by Labour. Ali Milani is a 25-year-old Iranian born card carrying lefty with a history of anti-Semitic comments (which he, of course, now regrets). In a constituency that has lower Moslem and higher white British population than much of Greater London going with Milani was not clever. A nice, white, middle class soccer mum might well have given Boris trouble. As it was Milani’s boast that he would send Boris to the House of Lords proved as hollow as his expressions of regret for anti-Semitic statements made before he knew he would be standing for Parliament.
Home, toxic home
In my own constituency of Esher and Walton, Dominic Raab held on, just. The Lib Dems must’ve worked their nasty little socks off. His solid majority of 23,298 melted down to 2,743. There were three factors here. Raab is a Brexit supporter in a seat that voted Remain, many of the well-off natural Conservative voters here (and it’s a very well-off area) have “interests” in Europe and Brexit makes them nervous. The area is well stocked with vocal Remainiacs. The Labour vote collapsed, with the Lib Dems picking up the lefty votes. Lastly, the sorry business of the death of Harry Dunn was used shamelessly by lefties of all sorts. Using the anguish of bereaved parents being a walk in the park for them. Still, Dominic survived the strenuous assault and I don’t doubt he’ll be back in five figures at the next election.
King in the North!
The Conservative victory did not happen in the south but in the north and the midlands. Seats that have never had a Conservative MP are now blue (yes, confusingly our party colours are reversed). I stayed up to see the exit polls and the first few seats come in. Traditionally seats in the north east compete to have the fastest count, being first is a point of pride and the very first are usually in less than two hours after the polls close. The third seat to declare was Blyth Valley, in Northumberland. The seat was formed in 1950 and has only ever returned Labour MPs. Ian Levy became its first ever Conservative MP. His majority is only 712, his bum may not be on the green leather benches long enough to make a dent, but his election is symbolic of a sea change in British politics. If the Labour party does not take heed of this, they may be doomed to becoming the M&M party, the party of Metropolitan trendies and Moslems.
This piece is already way too long and rambling. Thanks to those who’ve had the stamina to wade through to the end. Now that I’ve mentioned the dreaded M word in relation to this election it occurs to me that the role of religion in the 2019 election deserves its own post. Likewise the prospects for keeping the UK together.
That was the easy bit
In the meantime, let’s be happy that in both the USA and the UK there are right-wing governments in office.The extreme and sustained reactions to this fact both sides of the Pond show very clearly that we’re still not on top in the culture wars. We have right wingers in office, but office only, our job now is to help them achieve power…