Happy days are here again… or maybe not

DURING his 1936 US election campaign, President Roosevelt described his opponents as the “dictatorship of the privileged”. He believed his New Deal policies offered economic and social security for millions of Americans and were opposed by the vested interests that had traditionally wielded economic and political power.

According to Roosevelt, his opponents concealed their naked self-interest by “hiding behind the flag and the constitution”.

The 11th-hour Brexit deal with the EU may well turn out to be a victory for our very own dictatorship of the privileged.

They have long resented the EU and all its works. Its legislation threatened the operations and million-pound bonuses enjoyed by bankers, hedge-fund managers, property speculators and assorted spivs in suits. It’s no surprise the multi-millionaire Chancellor Rishi Sunak is a former hedge-fund manager and ardent Brexiter. Europhobes chafed against EU regulations protecting workers’ conditions and rights, the environment and food standards.

What was needed was some old-fashioned job insecurity to put the hoi polloi back in its box. They couldn’t say as much; it had to be camouflaged in meaningless mantras about “taking back control”.

We know exactly who’ll be taking back control and it certainly won’t be those in the north who voted leave in 2016. Like all good confidence tricksters, the Goves, Johnsons and Farages knew exactly which buttons to push.

A bit of xenophobia always comes in handy, especially fake posters warning of thousands of economic refugees heading for the UK. Throw in a bit of nostalgia for empire, the Battle of Britain, the last night of the Proms and Rule Britannia, wrap the whole lot in the Union Flag and, hey presto, you’ve got a critical mass. The Tory party has always had its Eurosceptic minority, memorably described by John Major as “b******s”. David

For many it was an opportunity to give ‘the establishment’ a kicking. Unfortunately, the leading Brexiters are ‘new establishment’ to their fingertips

Cameron believed the 2016 referendum would undermine the Eurosceptics in his own ranks. How did that work out, Dave? The Leave campaign and referendum presented an unmissable opportunity for carpet-baggers to seize control of an intellectually constipated Conservative Party.

Boris Johnson was never a particularly vocal critic of the EU, until he realised Brexit could hold the key to Number 10. Brexit and his liking for influence without responsibility, was a match made in heaven. In 1936, American voters rejected the “dictatorship of the privileged” by handing Roosevelt a resounding victory. New Deal represented a better deal for millions of poorer Americans. In contrast, the EU referendum saw 17 million of us vote for more insecurity and uncertainty. For many, especially in the north, it was an opportunity to give “the establishment” a kicking. Unfortunately, the leading Brexiters are “new establishment” to their fingertips. Scotland’s Brexit-voting farmers and fishermen will be praying the small print of the deal delivers the promised brighter future for their industries.

Just in case, they might still consider sending their bank details to a Nigerian prince to unlock their million-pound inheritance. They have served the Brexiters’ purpose and, after all, more people worked in Debenhams than in fishing. Despite the deal it’s unlikely fishermen, farmers and car workers will find a home on the sun-dappled uplands.

The real winners will be the proponents of a low tax, low regulation economy. The 10 proposed free ports are more than a straw in the wind. An opaque tax haven for money of doubtful provenance will be a top priority.

Workers’ rights and protection won’t be allowed to stand in the way of competing with unregulated Far Eastern industries. The deal is only the beginning and the nitty gritty will involve as much giving as taking. Scottish fishermen and farmers should read the 2,000 pages of small print before opening the champagne. Roosevelt’s 1936 campaign music was Happy Days Are Here Again. Time will tell if Mr Johnson’s deal brings happy or disappointing days for our fishing and farming communities.