Category: Politics

Journal, Labour, Politics

Local elections 2021 – No easy answers

| admin
Local elections 2021 – No easy answers

The election happens people are quick to draw rapid conclusions, failing to grasp what happened. The dust has barely settled, X was the problem only if we did this instead. Same old faces turn up on TV to settle old scores. The pattern repeats nobody learns anything further decline happens. Worse still wrong lessons are learnt causing even more damage. Until somebody comes along rebuilds the party because they sort of understand the current map/rules. Tories have been far more successful at doing that. Long term realignment of British politics, sudden seat losses mask slow changes. With the slow steady decline in party loyalty, voters want to shop around now. Signs have been in front of us for decades at this point.

Rules of politics matter deeply at the moment.

Beware of lower turn out clouding things. On average turn out could be 1/4 of GE turnout. Ward data on who could live in that area is now almost one decade out of date. Meaning who could be voting could be deeply different to who you think is. Loads of data that is missing needs to be pieced together. What going on won’t be clear for some time. 

The average voter does not care about politics or even follow it. Finding it hard to name people or even remember how they voted. It complicated puzzle working out how and why people voted for the X party. Sad but true modern politics is full of contradictions, no pundit understands it even social scientists find it difficult to read.

Any big crisis the public pile behind the incumbent government of the day. Giving them the benefit of the doubt to fix things. Global pandemic means voters settle for the known over the unknown. Why rock the boat when nobody could see it coming. Normal rules are suspended until things are sorted. Difficult for any opposition party to get any air time at the best of times. Need laser-like focus and message that does not attack the govt outright.

Pandemic makes campaigning difficult, harder to do all the normal things. 

Labour’s uneasy choice

Hard to draw any real lessons from the current map when the above is so impactful. The obvious point is Labour is facing challenges from all sides. Results show the party losing to the greens/lib dems and Tories. Labour did however make some gains but the picture is mixed. Even on lower turn out recovery has started.  The gap is closing between the main parties but still dangers ahead. New management is largely unknown, the brand is damaged still. Slowly the recovery is happening with voters but a leader needs to be visible. Invisible lawyer man in the suit vibe won’t win any elections or inspire the membership. Does not help to have dozens of ideas or a complete detailed plan. Need something that ties it all together, better story compared to the other side. Long term trend has been against labour in many areas. Sometimes it not about Labour at all. No matter what we try voters did not want to listen. Tories just did better and voters like it more. 

Mountain we face has never been any clearer, to win, we must build a new coalition of voters. Expanding from the current base to former strongholds, grabbing potential ones too. Party must be competitive in existing marginal seats and hold what we got. That means understanding why voters go Tory and how to appeal to a much larger group who could lean Labour. The danger here this not the floor, support can go much lower. Not only that means getting better at playing the game of politics. To do that we must understand the current base and not be embarrassed by it. Above all else, we need to chase voters who could vote for us. That means understanding current voters, not the group we imagined are Labour voters. Can’t afford to marginalise ‘the left’, otherwise, we risk losing ground to the greens and lib dems. Party brand should be seen as safe and none threatening to people who will never vote for us. A difficult balancing act between radical change so many want and conservation instincts others have.  The last big key sticking point is lack of trust. That not going to be easy to address without being realistic. A shopping list of ideas or heavily detailed policy won’t cut it, needs to be a simple package.

A tory party you think we face is not the party we face. Uncomfortable truth no magic bullet exists, many things need to change. We need to learn from our opponents not mock them or say we better than the Tories. Saying the party people voted for is evil won’t get you very far at all. Party loyalty is disappearing at a rapid rate and that message does nothing now. Attacking pork-barrel politics won’t stick but give voters a reason to vote for them. Running on the same old message but the Tories does not cut it. The simple reality is party loyalty at an all-time low, voters shop around. Repeating the time old classic means we don’t really have a clue what to say. Fighting old battles and expecting to face the same opponent. 4 different flavours of the Tory party have beaten us each one with a different set of priorities. The most recent one running as the challenger, but being the incumbent. The only bit of good news here is Brexit is slowly disappearing from the public mind. Divides that caused it to remain wide open.

Tory party story is because of Brexit, more police, nurses and green policies are possible. We need a story that suits us to counter this idea. Gone are the days of Cameron declaring no green crap.  Make no mistake this opponent is way harder to beat, promising higher spending and taxes. Sharp difference from what Cameron promised. You may disagree but the average voter supported it with open arms. They want a good job, a nice house and to be rich. Attacking the rich blindly is attacking voters dreams. Makes no sense too and the appeal is too narrow. Labour offer to voters is a big massive collection of ideas with a green strategy at the heart. The problem is a giant shopping list of priorities, which are difficult to explain together. Needs to be easy to understand clear and focused package.

Greens issues, access to justice and sick pay

I would look at green issues, access to justice and sick pay. The story is needed that pulls all three together.  Left needs more substance that voters care about, right needs more substance that understands the party core vote. Both sides are trying to settle old scores and don’t want to face the music. Tories have moved we have been standing still against 2010s Tories. Certain bits of a policy platform needs to change to suit this reality. Less a shopping list of unachievable goals in the first term. A refined plan that matches our own voter’s priorities and any potential lean labour voters. Elements that are ripe ground like sick pay.  Reforming and scrapping UC party needs to pick one. More muddling through won’t work, we tried that. Not how you build trust with voters who can smell the bullshit from miles away. The strategy of more of the same has failed. Deeply concerned all sides have ideas but making some serious miscalculation who supports the party or could do. Failure to pick shows the deep unease with the choice we face. After some imagined group of voters ignoring everybody else. Trying not to offend anybody but pissing off everybody. Misunderstanding the current voter and chasing some imagined group who don’t exist. Not exactly been a recipe for success so far. 

I do feel Keir should hold his nerve, after these disappointing results. I will give the benefit of the doubt here because of the covid pandemic. Suspension of politics of normal has not helped the party at all. In the coming weeks, things should start returning to normal. The direction of travel should be outlined and made clear. Before covid the strategy focusing on green issues with every policy linked to it. Would appear the problem is the lack of focus and discipline in how to present it. Wide range of goals time to refine it and make it suit now. Don’t want to be hostage to fortune. Flexibility and resilience are needed when come to fighting the Tories. The labour party future depends on us learning the right lessons, understanding the base we have. Finding the lean labour voters who vote Tory, coming with something for them. 

Signs Keir wants former red wall voters but so far no serious offer has been made to anybody. Critics have failed to do the same. To make any serious policy platform need to have a clear understanding of our own voting base and who could join that coalition. Do we focus on the liberal young urban city voter base and cement it or expand to include former red wall voters. Many members disappointed in Keir want the former. Members like me want the latter but Boris has claimed that ground. Does mean understanding, listening to current voters and people who could vote for us. Could be the only way forward for the party. To do that we need to change priorities find a message that suits both. No party has the god-given right to exist and can be replaced. Both sides of the party appear to think the current base has no other place to go. The danger we repeat the same mistakes, chasing imagined group who don’t exist and alienation of people who do vote for us.

Invisible front man magic trick won’t save the party or love bombing voters on green issues. Stronger media presentation is required, giving clear short answers. People should know the face, the rest of the party follows the line. Not easy to do given the rules of the game and conditions. All sides of the party need to unite together, compromise is required. Many members were willing to give Corbyn the benefit of the doubt after series of failures. The same should be given to Keir but we can’t look back repeat the same failed lines. Knives out for Keir at the first sign of trouble won’t do us any good. Changing leaders won’t magically fix everything. Ignoring the conditions laying the blame just on the leadership won’t work.

After Covid, I want a focus on green issues, access to justice and sick pay. Take a bit of policy platform from the right and left on each one. Green issues focus should be on better roads, buses. Ideas like the right to repair, reuse and recycle too. Justice only works if people have access to it. Should be something a former lawyer can feel comfortable talking about. The last point hits that spot the British public sense of fairness. Should help to inspire the base once more which we need to win. More importantly all of the above is something Labour voters can support. 

Journal, Politics, Thoughts

Climate change from carbon to the metal-based economy

| admin

Climate change from carbon to the metal-based economy.

Reducing consumption is missing from the current conversation. Need to deal with current waste, recycling and reuse only gets you so far. Shifting towards making the supply chains more circle recycle and reuse focused. A finite number of resources, need to be efficient, recycle and reuse. The focus so far has been on replacing and ignore the current waste problem. The challenge ahead is massive, need to be more efficient in everything we do. Not only that but learn to recycle and reuse way more. The result is changing how we view the world around us.

Switching to a less carbon-based economy requires metal. Extracting metal is very energy-intense, processing and manufacturing cause environmental damage. Even a minor increase in demand for metals causes huge amounts of damage. An idea we can switch without consequences is nonsense. Old electrical goods are difficult to recycle. Need to redesign the manufacturing process making things easier to recycle and reprocess. Metals can be reprocessed but certain products like batteries waste resources.

Phone companies have started to avoid shipping chargers with phones to lower e-waste. This is rather backwards when they release new models every couple of months. The focus needs to be on sending old phones back, less new phones with a much longer shelf life. Battery recycling research remains rather new, impossible at the moment to get the materials back. The amount of e-waste like phones is a huge problem, nothing like the plastic problem. Elephant in the room is how the recycling industry currently works. Shipping waste around the world, sometimes it can’t even be processed.

Electric cars alone won’t save us, at some point behaviours need to change. In my own opinion, we can increase the quality of everybody life and be environmentally friendly. Need to be honest about the changes needed and the cost of doing nothing. So far nobody wants to address the consumption element. Dreaming of technology saving us from past problems and fixing future issues.

What needs to happen?

Reduce consumption

Recycle more

Reuse materials

Be more efficient

Reshaping how the world works, to stop the climate from restructuring to a new normal. Just moving from carbon to metal would be a giant mistake. Storing up future problems, never addressing the obvious solution. Nobody wants to even touch it and think we can carry on as normal. Sounds a lot like Covid, people thinking we can go back. Failing to see how we got here.

Journal, Politics

Recovering from Covid pandemic

| admin

Recovering from Covid pandemic

Won’t be easy creating the require policy programs. Outstanding question remains is the govt up to the task?

Lost decade almost ended with another recession. Underlying economic numbers before the covid were weak. UK has entered recession, 11 years after the last one. Financial markets caused the great recession, pandemic caused this rapid recession. Loss of confidence changed behaviour, economic activity to decline, any official lock down policy started. Lock down policy is largely driven by public opinion, chaotic approach has not helped. Threat of pandemic was highly probable, experts warned about this threat for some time. Department of health even planned for this event. One simple virus was able to caused biggest economic slowdown in modern history. As turns out economic system today is far less resilience, food supply chain showed weakness. Banking sector this time is far more resilience, other parts of the economy are less resilience. Signs of weakness were present before the outbreak. Unlike the last recession, this mainly a health driven crisis. Dozens of potential outcomes, further shocks are still likely.

Recovery won’t start until confidence returns. Breakdown in confidence caused the economy to slow down, driven by covid 19. Investors have caused negative interest rates, signal they want stronger fiscal policy. This not normal downturn, any response needs to be not normal. Labour market started to suffer big job losses, furlough scheme was quickly created. Scheme covered huge parts of the economy, credit is due for creating massive scheme. Overall it could be argued this design is flawed, broad support doing bare minimum. Barely enough to avoid short term problems, turning health crisis into economic nightmare. Furlough scheme is due to come to an end, real challenge starts now. No clear guidance what policy is going to replace it. No details on what sectors are going to get extra support. Big risk is another outbreak happens with no policy plan. Hoping things go back to normal is unlikely to happen, economic restructuring happens during any recession.

Big unknown element during of this, Boris Johnson lack of clear idealogical direction. Danger here is re-fighting old battles, failing to hold Boris to account. Social safety net is less resilience, unemployment use universal credit. Other benefits during that time, became less generous. Huge problems with employment and support allowance, no benefit was spared.

Taken one decade to combine various benefits into one, designed to lower the welfare cost. System is far less generous, weeks until the first payment. Built in sanctions designed to be harsh, punishing people over supporting. Whole thing is designed to cut costs over support people. Roll out is not even completed at this stage, millions of families still to switch. Covid has exposed fiscal stabilisers was short term political choice. Frankly never designed with fairness, or support in mind. Likely we are facing mass unemployment, system never designed to cope with this outcome. Programs designed to help claimants are gone. Point of the system avoiding people from claiming with weeks until first payment.

Labour market quickly turned negative, major job losses. Forced the conservative party create, furlough scheme. Designed to keep people in jobs. Blanket approach to preserve, protect and stem any job losses. Necessary massive blunt but costly program to run for extended time frame. Details can be debated, loads of flaws including inflexible with fixed end date. Rest of Europe already have furlough schemes built into welfare policies. Smarter flexible approaches which allow for part time work, providing retraining and job creation. UK policy makers had none of that existing structure. Any recession is painful, shape or size is determined by policy response. Choices made during any crisis will define governments. Government policy platform was level up, get brexit done and more public service funding. Pandemic has ruined that policy platform.

About to find causes out how serious each promise was. Doing nothing is not an option at all. Big risk is doing nothing could cause major long term damage. Long term investment promises do little for job losses now. Building roads to nowhere, no real response to now. When reality bites government folds, how much do promises matter to Boris?

Creating giant policy problem, quick answers with no draw backs no thing exists. So far reality has destroy various bits of policy due being to difficult. Large majority is not enough when crisis happen, with no clear ideology thinking.

What levers could be used?

No perfect solution here to serious health crisis.

Increasing benefits to be more generous, existing fiscal stabilisers is another option. Changes to universal credit sanctions, don’t forget about ESA. Sick pay payments increasing the length. Decreasing payment waiting times.

Furlough scheme could be extended, modified providing part time work. Extending support for sectors which can’t operate, retail, tourism and service sectors.

Zombie businesses are real concern but government already given them money. Further grants to help, changing business loans to grants.

Above all else this health crisis not an economic one, any packages must be carefully directed. Opportunity to make long term changes, avoiding short term thinking to create a better system. Based on past behaviour, don’t expect any big major policy shifts. Who knows natural party of government earned that title. UK government can be described authoritarian nationalism populist movement. Party of law and order, wants to break the law. Destroy institutions who hold the executive to account. Brexit project goes against every single traditional principle, thatcherism ideas on state aid is ignored. Yet nobody is willing to challenge or even fight for what they believe in. At the moment they have fallen for their very worse instincts.    Incompetence decision making has got us so far, followed by dozens of U turns towards right policy. Covid 19 pandemic has only just started, big choices far policy makers ahead. Just hope they are willing to listen and learn.

Deep concern UK won’t recover from covid, releasing the very worse instincts. Should not rebuild but create a future everybody can support. Much bigger challenges remain unaddressed I don’t have much faith.

Journal, Politics

Covid – Dark clouds ahead

| admin

Capitalism has been at the heart of the global economic thinking. Liberalism of services, financial markets, goods and labour. No other system has produced results which have massively increased incomes. Various flaws with the current global economy, focusing pure growth and lack of resilience. Just in time supply lines are cheap, efficient but don’t have much resilience. Result cheaper goods, labour becoming cheaper but assets have become inflated. Globalisation has been at heart of economic thinking for decades now. Rapid expansion of financial markets with more traditional trade, combined with services. Light touch on financial market regulation, created risky assets. Opening up local goods to international markets. Geography plays major part in trade, many won’t feel the benefits directly. Trading over any distance requires capital, most businesses are local.

I don’t think destroying capitalism is the answer but reforming it. At the heart of that reform, core concept of resilience. Support for the labour market should be short and longer term focused. Something needs to be done about assets prices. Nations should work together against common threats, covid or climate change have exposed how important that is. We can’t afford to be inward looking. Global food supply chains have been flexible enough during covid but poorer nations have suffered. Resilience should be part of the conversation going forward. All of this requires long term policies, politics should be honest. 

Society as whole needs to ask some pretty difficult questions, may not like the answers. Covid pandemic has crippled my trust in the UK government. I don’t feel safe returning back to normal. Solve the health crisis, bulk of the economic problems disappear. Have big concerns no real long term plan on tackling any problems. Only a desire to blame others. Future is looking rather rubbish. I can only see dark clouds ahead and giant cliff edge caused by brexit getting closer. Maybe this the government we deserve as a society.

Brexit, Journal

Never ending political crisis brexit

| admin

Never ending political crisis brexit

Political crisis that has no end, brexit has caused ruin. Ruining anybody once the details become clear. So far destroying two prime minsters May and Cameron. At the heart pure delusion about Britain place in the world. We can become free trade beacon by leaving biggest free trade bloc in the world. Misunderstanding about the process, with no desire to face reality. Backstop in Northern Ireland become an boggy man.  Impossible demands which undermine each other. Claims solutions can we found yet unwilling to commit to the backstop. Britain has avoided the automatic cliff edge by European goodwill. So far international markets have allowed this behavior to go unchallenged we don’t deserve it.

All options look possible, remain or revoke or deal or no deal. And only one option is certain, no deal is the default. Unstable given the current background not looking like long term solutions. Rest of world ignores British made political crisis. Europe not even talking about us, we not even talking to Europe.

Politics

Brexit nothing new

| admin

Brexit nothing new

Looking increasingly likely United Kingdom leaves the European Union, automatically without any deal by October. Looking increasingly likely we don’t end up leaving at all by October. Leaving was never a single one off event more long series of events. Withdrawal agreement would be a point of no return. Shaping the future relationship it is the hardest possible exit. Decades worth of negotiations whatever option you pick. No real majority at the moment for the easy bit. Entering any relationship from an unstable point never a good start.

Leave supporters refusing to back the current withdrawal agreement. Demanding the government renegotiation over the backstop, other solutions could solve the problem. If you claim other solutions can negate the backstop why not support it? No real risk around the backstop surely?Simply put the solutions don’t exist, current agreement is going to shape the future relationship.

Deeply chaotic exit looks likely, UK politicians have rejected every option. Blaming others for their own mistakes. Remain backing MPs have fallen into line supporting the deal against their better judgment. Leave backing MPs have refused to fall into line but attacked everybody else. Whatever option happens leads to uncertainty, decades worth of negotiations ahead. No deal would spark a series of events to resolve problems around no deal.

Possible the UK ends up not leaving at all, Europeans hold all the cards. Process of article 50 was always flawed method to leave. Time is being wasted as politicians repeat the same mistakes. Reset button is required but even that may not work.

Journal, Politics, Thoughts

Climate change hidden problem

| admin

Climate change hidden problem

Longest period climate change, unspoken problem facing the world. Only in recent years has the issue had some attention. Problem facing the whole world, not just changing weather. Issues surrounding the impact, resources to economic growth. The world overusing total number of resources. Pollution damaging the remaining ones or caused permanent damage. Global mismanagement of resources have caused further problems. Facing a perfect storm, world reshaping after the effects of climate change. Certain areas running out of key resources. Water supplies even in rich nations are under threat.  Made worse by environmental pollution damaging what remains. Plastics have been causing sea pollution. Already evidence fish stocks now contain plastics. Solution we need to use less per person, reducing the impact. In practice that means using less water, eating less meat, recycling waste better. Longest period of time politics has avoided taking difficult decisions. Behavior needs to change, not enough to use electric cars. That means changing how we do everything. Upgrading smart phones less often, making products last longer. Electric cars use rare metals which face a shortage. Replacing all the petrol cars could end up repeating the same mistakes of the past. Many workers commute to work, that changes habits. Action is required now that changes how we live. Promise of technology could solve it in the future is hog wash.  No simple solutions or easy ones time we face up that fact.

Brexit, Journal, Politics

Post no brexit day

| admin

Voices of brexit wanted 29th of march to be day we leave the EU. Proud day which we take control, forging a new path forward. Pundits demanded we start the process. Would be easy simple cheap with no real issues. Voices are now silence saying don’t blame us. Project was doomed to fail, sabotaged by it own supporters. Refusing to support the project they started. Attacking loyal MPs who supported this terrible project in key votes. Rewriting history to escape blame. Each time the goal posts moving, towards more extreme pure form.

Voters not given full details what brexit meant in practical terms. Worse still attacking everybody, using aggressive language. Automatic action of law we now leave 12th of April. Parliament with the government needs to find some alternate plan quickly. Behind closed doors EU decides if the plan is viable. Parliament has refused to pass the current withdrawal agreement. Leaving no deal or revoke, both which parliament has refused.  No deal by accident is possible, automatic action of law. 

Need a new parliament to pass this treaty. Options still on the table, another second referendum, unity government. Former members of leave campaign knew having a plan would not let them win. Now MPs are finding out just how impossible creating a policy based on lies is. Everybody shares the blame for this outcome, journalists have failed to inform. 

Voters deserve better, we should reflect why people voted leave how this was possible.

Brexit, Politics, Thoughts

Why I can’t support withdrawal agreement

| admin

Why I can’t support withdrawal agreement

Leaving the European union, means to an end. Conventional wisdom mainstream, would developed a plan. Forging a cross party consensus, letting civil servants work. Listening to experts finding a pragmatic solution. Opposite happened no coherent plan, weak consensus based on the end. Article 50 triggered with two years to complete stage one. With full opposition parties support, similar red lines, blaming each other. Not obvious is what the British want, European diplomats are puzzled. Westminster is consumed around British viewpoint ignoring everything else.A task of leaving is not easy, complicated work requires massive amounts of resources. Based on research 760 international agreements need renegotiations completed. So much for quick and easy, ignorance not a defence. Leaving is like riding a unicycle juggling cats plus writing a speech prize winning novel within 30 minutes. Journalists focus on the bubble, failing to explain or inform. Overly focused on the backstop rest of legislation ignored. Blame is shared across the establishment.
Purpose of the backstop insurance against running out of time. Negotiations over the future need to be solved by 2021. Not designed to keep Britain in the EU by the backdoor. Both sides had to agree to the backstop, consent was given. British politics lacks a clear idea what comes next after the withdrawal agreement. Impossible to craft policy based on lies. With many demanding EU membership, no costs or responsibility. Cheerleaders of an exit, saying current offer is worse compared to membership. Certain critics have offered weak excuses saying they would have to support it. Means to an end, without a real plan. Whatever option is picked, downgrade on the current membership. Brexiteers demands influence over regulation, claiming UK had no influence inside but would outside. Further claims made by the Brexiteers, Europe adds barriers to trade. India on record saying UK blocked European trade agreements over migration. Citizens could enjoy freedom of movement with restrictions on everybody else. Short sighted deep rooted highly complacent arrogant disregard. Rude awakenings to happen towards the complacency showed by the British.
Leaving the European Union going to cause red tape for British business. UK needs to build new regulator bodies. Often claimed regulation cripples business, nobody knows which ones. Common complaint is working time directive, workers to 48 hours a week unless they opt out. Labour market already has very weak enforcement. Heard complaints about environmental regulation, again no single piece is named. What regulation do people disagree with nobody knows or why? Important to understand UK can veto any regulation changes under EU membership. UK civil servants at every stage help craft each EU law. Claimed UK lacks influence within the EU but can have more influence outside. Which one is it over regulation, no voice or has a voice? Impossible paradox which underlines the debate, hidden in plain sight like some other uncomfortable truths.
Worse all sides within the debate ignore the consequences. Dishonest to dismiss each warning, claiming sabotage. Adding barriers makes trading harder that a fact. Condescending to say voters understood, with the establishment not understanding the basics. Politicians claim to be against something they want. A framework around regulations is required, food safety exist for a reason. Business facing higher regulation burden to export or import would cost jobs. Companies are already moving jobs and planning less investment. Result in smaller tax base and economy, not difficult to understand barriers cause problems. Willing to gamble everything, risking the economy and people own livelihoods. The prime minster claims the referendum was about freedom of movement. Ending freedom of movement means removing British citizens right to travel and work. European Union necessary but not perfect, not immune to criticism. British politics is experiencing paralysis, caused by the referendum. Unable to pass the withdrawal agreement, unclear what anybody wants. Both mainstream parties desire similar things based on the red lines.
Incapable to defend freedom of movement. Others claim the mantle was in the name of ducks. Referendum acted as a lighting rod against everything people disliked in general. Will of the people defence, just series of mini majorities. Appropriate term is minority views, purely absolute majority is people don’t want to be poorer but richer. Everybody dreams about being a billionaire, money to buy gold houses. European Union does not stop the Government from dealing with why people claim they voted leave. Leaving does not automatic put right burning injustices. The longest period of time ignored why do people suddenly think things would change.
Conventional wisdom has so far been proved wrong. Cheerleaders have been dismissive, ignoring criticism or reality. European Union referendum was meant to settle internal party disputes. Everything was meant to get better but things going to get worse. Issues are never settled by a lone vote. Undemocratic to permanently lock something never to be touched again. Shocking decisions caused by internal politics within the conservative party made it worse. Decided to refer to just the bad decisions from the last three years. Crafting a political crisis that slowly tearing into the unwritten constitutional rules.

1. David Cameron calls a second referendum.
2. Blocking civil servants planning against all outcomes
3. Trigging article 50 before the UK was prepared
4. Blocking legal advice over article 50
5. MPs votes to trigger article 50
6. MPs is supporting the exit regulations.
7. Not seeking cross party support
8. Red lines over FoM
9. Announcing a general election,
10. No solution for the Irish border

We right now experience a period of uncertainty with decades worth of negotiations. No time to deal with legitimate grievances or problems. No extra money to provide for things people wants. Plague on both houses which nobody really wanted. Watch the excuses appear blaming everything including Europe. All resources directed towards limiting the self-harm. I can’t support the project of leaving understanding the exorbitant costs. I held my nose voting remain, because of David Cameron. Hard to appreciate the chaos voting to leave would cause. Never precisely grasped all the issues, but undertook research trying to inform myself. Frank honestly Northern Ireland was at the back of my mind. Like many viewing Ireland as settled, same view of complacency that union holds. A general messaging by leaves caused deep-seated mistrust my right to travel and work was at grave risk. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Admitting bad decisions, initial step to correcting it. In any other line of employment would see you sacked. Making people poorer, adding barriers and removing rights. Undemocratic to allow such appeasement to go unchallenged. Complacency is how we got here more it, not the answer.

What happens next nobody knows, political crisis with constitutional system working.  I fear parliament has failed in it duty. Revoke looks like the only option but political toxic.