Blog 2023 Malcolm Blair-Robinson

Wow! Yes. Some say the biggest defeat in the history of the Commons. Does it resolve anything? No.

The problem is that we have a flexible unwritten constitution which is now flexing, so what should have happened last night didn’t and what will happen is unclear. There is talk of reaching across the House. Meaning? There is talk of going back to Brussels for tweaks. The unanimous answer from the whole EU, all 27, is forget that until you have AGREED In Parliament what it is you want. And at the moment that seems impossible.

What should have happened last night was that the government make the vote on May’s flagship deal on which she has staked all, a confidence motion. In the old system, which we had up until perhaps the Fixed Term Parliament Act, defeat of the government on a flagship policy would have led to the government falling. But not now. Even a record defeat. The confidence motion comes next. The slippery May knew she would lose her flagship but will win her confidence vote on Labour’s motion. So the total fiasco of a party split so deeply on the main, almost now the only, issue of the day to the point where it cannot govern is, under the new arrangements, going to carry on nevertheless, without direction, policy or purpose. The old system which invested our rather quirky approach to democracy with a world reputation for providing firm government, ends up being unable to offer any form of effective government at all.

In other words before there was a check on putting party survival above the national interest. But not now. Meanwhile people have been saying that parliament will ‘take over’ or ‘take control of the government’. It is now urgent that parliament shows us how it plans to do this. There is of course another way. Ask the people. That is what democracy is supposed to be about.

Hello government! Are you listening? Ask the people. That is the way of democracy.

Hello. Is anyone there?