This morning, whilst walking by the newspaper stand in my local foodstore, I noticed one paper claiming that a government of national unity is in the process of being formed. I have to say I think this is a bit of a long shot but given everything else that is going on at the moment you should never say never. So if this were to happen what would happen?
First I think the current non-government government lead by Boris Johnson would try to hang on even if they lost a vote of no confidence. However, I suspect as with everything else to do with the Boris Johnson lead non government this will fail and we will truly be through the looking glass of minority governments that have to negotiate their way through every policy they try to come up with. In short, I suspect it would lead to a government of small incremental changes rather than eye catching policies that never work out. However, I suspect the first thing that the new government will agree on is a series of referenda: The first to try and settle Brexit once and for all (fat chance of that but there we go); The second would be indyref two to take place sometime after the Brexit referendum and the third referendum would be the Border poll in Northern Ireland on whether Northern Ireland wants to become part of the republic. I suspect to do this they will try and enact a Referendum Act that would set out how referenda would in future fit be run and how they would fit into the representative model of democracy that Britain has evolved into over several hundred years. If this were the case I suspect they would ask the EU for a much long extension – perhaps 12 months to allow the formation of the legislation and the completion of the first referendum. If this were granted then it certainly would be an interesting constitutional experiment for Britain as this would be a European style government for the first time in Britain.
Would this work? In theory yes but in practice…well it is a long shot to say the least. As for the Conservative party well I suspect should this scenario take place then they would collapse and slowly a new right would reform around a much more clear cut right wing agenda which would be much more to the right than the modern Conservative party up until now has been. I welcome this because it would give the electorate a clear choice rather than the old broadchurch approach that probably David Cameron destroyed over Brexit.
In this scenario you would also have a significant rump of Brexit MPs who will feel that they were denied Brexit, assuming the second (Or third depending on how you count these things) referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union come out in favour of remaining, along with a significant chunk of the electorate. How this combustible mix responds to this brave new world is anyone’s guess.
Would this government make it to the 8th June 2022? I can’t see it but again never say never but it might suit they new right wing party, let’s call it the Rebirth Party to allow this to take place as it gives them time to reform and then come out fighting.
This all sounds like a fantasy to me but so did losing the Brexit referendum to David Cameron and look what happened there.
Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps.
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