MPs of all parties must unite to rein in this reckless, divisive government
At the moment, our country is more unsettled, more divided, than I can ever recall. Ministers assure us they are moving towards a deal. The European Union tells us they are not – because no new or viable proposals have been put forward by the British government. The prime minister tells us he wishes to have a deal with Europe. But we don’t see him sitting down in Brussels, hammering out an agreement.
Lip service is paid to the unanimous judgment of the supreme court – that it was unlawful to prorogue parliament for five weeks – while the prime minister tells us the court was wrong and he was right. That is the cry of those found guilty of misdemeanours throughout the ages.
Meanwhile, ministers continue to offer fantasy outcomes of what a postBrexit future holds for people in every corner of our United Kingdom. As day succeeds day, it seems more likely that we will end up leaving the European Union without any deal at all. On Wednesday night, the prime minister wilfully destroyed any hope of crossparty agreement.
The price of such a negotiating failure will be widespread and will affect rich and poor alike – with one difference: the poor will be far less able to protect themselves.
Far more is at stake than simply our relationship with the European Union. At stake also is our relationship with the wider world and – because of the nature of our Brexit debate – very probably the future of our domestic politics as well.
I don’t believe, after the schism Brexit has created, that we will be able to return to the status quo ante. The government constantly tells us that everyone is fed up with Brexit. So am I. They tell us everyone wants an end to Brexit. So do I. But no one should believe that Brexit will end on the day we leave – whether that is on 31 October, or beyond. Far from it. The impact of Brexit – both internally and externally – will be felt negatively for a very long time.
From the outset, the government’s whole negotiating strategy – if such it can be called – has been driven by a desire to win the support of the antiEuropean hard right of the Conservative party, together with like-minded media.
If the government is to get a deal; if the House of Commons is to approve it; if the scars of Brexit are to be diminished; then there must be compromise in the negotiations. And not only compromise, but understanding – from both sets of negotiators. Little of that has been forthcoming.
There is much talk of a general election. In the present atmosphere it would be likely to become the most unsavoury election of modern times. Until Brexit is resolved, a general election would solve nothing. It would merely fuel the current feeling of disillusionment and disunity. It may also be pointless, as the most likely outcome is another fragmented parliament – even more bitterly divided than it is now.
So why is the government so keen to put our country through that? There may be a political calculation: they believe the Labour party is unelectable under the present leadership; ministers know how serious the problems will be for the people of this country after a nodeal Brexit, and wish to have the election out of the way before the reality of the mess that lies ahead becomes clear.
Let me put it another way: if the government was truly confident in the aftermath of their Brexit policy, they would wait for next spring, when they could take credit for the success of Brexit; rejoice – even gloat – that all fears about it were unfounded; and propose a few popular one nation policies to restore the fortunes of the Conservatives.
But instead, to reinforce their electoral appeal, the government seems intent on whipping up dissent by using highly emotional and evocative language that can only provoke fear and anger, and fuel grievances against parliament and the law – inciting opposition to the most important bulwarks of our state and its freedom.
Their approach is profoundly unConservative and – whatever its shortterm effect – will do permanent damage to the reputation of the party. I cannot believe any previous government in our long history would have even considered such reckless and divisive behaviour.
We were promised, during the referendum campaign, that Brexit would “… restore parliamentary sovereignty and the supremacy of UK law”. For that reason, I am assuming there will be no further political trickery from this government.
There is a contradiction between the act prohibiting the UK leaving the EU without a deal, and the prime minister’s continued assertion that he will leave on 31 October.
My fear is that the government will seek to bypass statute law by passing an order of council to suspend the act until after 31 October. It is important to note that an order of council can be passed by privy councillors – that is government ministers – without involving the Queen.
I should warn the prime minister that – if this route is taken – it will be in flagrant defiance of parliament and utterly disrespectful to the supreme court. It would be a piece of political chicanery that no one should ever forgive or forget.
I am a lifelong Conservative. I hope our millions of traditional, moderate, middle-of-the-road supporters understand that this Conservative government’s present position is an aberration.
Most Conservatives are not a Brexit party tribute band, nor have we abandoned our core values to find compromise, seek allies, and strive for unity, rather than division and disarray. We abhor the language of division and hate – and words such as “saboteur”, “traitor”, “enemy”, “surrender”, “betrayal” have no place in our party, our politics, nor in our society. It is emphatically not who we are as a people. And must never be seen as so.
I hope the Conservative parliamentary party will regain its sense of balance, and rein in the faction of a faction that now prevails in cabinet.
Now that parliament is sitting again, it has the opportunity to prove its quality, its strength, its purpose and its power. I hope that every member of parliament – from all parties – will unite together, and rise to that challenge.
• John Major is a former prime minister. This is an edited version of a speech he gave at the Centre for European Reform, London on Thursday
I hope our millions of traditional, moderate supporters understand that this Conservative government is an aberration