EU vote at centre of events that left parties struggling with fallout
THE fulcrum of an eventful year came on Friday June 24; to be precise, at just before 2am; in Sunderland.
The scale of the local Leave vote over that of Remain – 82,000 to 52,000 – gave the first indication of political turmoil across the country; the landscape would never be the same again.
Four months earlier, David Cameron, had announced the In/ Out poll after negotiating a “special status” within the EU.
Within 24 hours, the “poison” of the Tory euro-psychosis began to seep out. Boris Johnson, a close friend of the Prime Minister, made clear to a gathered throng of reporters he was for Out.
One of the most controversial moments came when Ukip’s Nigel Farage unveiled a poster, showing a line of refugees under the heading “Breaking Point”.
However within hours, the racism row had been supplanted by the news that Labour MP Jo Cox had been murdered.
On the day of the vote, the expectation was that Remain would win narrowly but by 5am it was clear Britain had decided to “take back control” from Brussels by52percentto48.
As expected, by mid-morning Mr Cameron had paid the price for his high gamble and was announcing his resignation.
Michael Gove, having previously announced he was totally unsuitable to be PM and would never stand, did so; dramatically, just hours before Mr Johnson was expected to declare his own candidacy. With colleagues gathered at his launch, Mr Johnson emerged to tell his supporters he had decided not to run. As Westminster’s jaw dropped, Mr Gove was branded a “political assassin”.
Within days, Andrea Leadsom, the dark horse, had withdrawn following critical reaction to a newspaper interview. Consequently, Theresa May was crowned leader. The next day, she was in Edinburgh glad-handing Nicola Sturgeon and underlining her devotion to the Union.
A High Court ruling (that MPs should have a vote before Article 50 is triggered) was followed by Mrs May appealing it at the UK Supreme Court. The First Minister intervened, saying if MPs should have a vote, so too should MSPs. The ruling is due next month; everyone is holding their breath.
A year of twists and turns saw Mr Cameron come under personal pressure on his share portfolio after the leaking of the Panama Papers, Tony Blair expressing regret but no apology following the publication of the damning Chilcot report into Iraq and Mrs May finally giving the green light to the new Hinckley nuclear power station, the second phase of HS2 and the third runway at Heathrow Airport.
Tales of a more personal nature emerged with the SNP’s Stewart Hosie resigning as deputy leader following revelations about his private life in a so-called “menage a trois,” and Labour’s Keith Vaz resigning as chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee after newspaper claims he paid for two male escorts.
This year was a rollercoaster one for the political parties.
Ukip followed its high of the EU vote with the departure of its talisman Nigel Farage, then saw the 18-day interregnum of Diane James, the subsequent resignation of Steven Woolfe following his alleged altercation with a fellow MEP and collapse at the European Parliament, and ending with the election of Paul Nuttall as leader.
The Liberal Democrats found a new cause after the devastation of the Leave result with the demand for a second referendum on the eventual Brexit deal while party leader Tim Farron was spotted in
‘‘ Amid back-biting and a bruising row over anti-Semitism, the party took a tumble in the polls
Richmond Park “jumping around like a gazelle” after his party’s candidate Sarah Olney saw off the incumbent Zac Goldsmith.
But the most significant party drama unfolded within Labour.
The disgruntlement within the parliamentary Party with Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership saw a tranche of frontbench resignations, a vote of no confidence by 80 per cent of Labour MPs and the re-election as leader of the London MP.
Amid continuing back-biting and a bruising row over antiSemitism, the party took a tumble in the polls, being adrift from the Conservatives by up to 16 per cent.
On the back of two poor byelection results in Sleaford and Richmond Park, Diane Abbott, the new shadow home secretary, insisted her party could recover but suggested it had to happen within 12 months.
As the uncertain Brexit process unfolds, Labour’s own drama might be about to enter a new eventful chapter in 2017.