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| Johnson portrayed as a glove puppet on this amazing float |
On Saturday, I caught the 7.37am train down to London. In my backpack I had a large poster that I had made on Friday evening. It read "44 MILLION PEOPLE DID NOT VOTE TO LEAVE".
Sitting across the aisle from me there was someone I recognised. It was our local Member of Parliament, a ginger fellow called Jared O'Mara. By the time our train reached Chesterfield, I had plucked up enough courage to talk to him.
Mr O'Mara has been a controversial and rather hopeless M.P.. As a traditional Labour supporter, I feel quite angry that Labour's National Executive put him forward as the party's candidate for Sheffield Hallam back in 2017. I understand that they never imagined that he would actually win the seat - ousting Nick Clegg, the national leader of The Liberal Democrats.
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| I thought that this fellow might be Steve Reed |
Last year, O'Mara was outed for historical and unsavoury abuse through social media. He brought shame upon the local Labour party and then he left Labour to continue in parliament as an independent M.P.. His ability to properly represent his constituents and deal effectively with their issues deserves a mark of zero.
However, I am an open-minded bloke and I know that what you hear about people through media channels will often be at odds with reality. O'Mara told me that he was heading for The House of Commons to play his part in defeating the prime minister's recently achieved "deal" with The European Union. I told him that I would be joining The People's March for a second referendum and that I had voted for him in the last election.
I told him bluntly that he had let people like me down and that in my opinion he should have done the right thing and resigned his seat by now. I said that I did not vote for an "Independent". O'Mara became defensive but he had turned red and there were tears in his eyes. He said that he had never intended to let anybody down and asked me if I knew that he had been suffering from mental health issues?
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| Senior Labour MP Emily Thornberry on big screen in Parliament Square |
Though the train was not full at this point, I noticed that some other passengers were listening in so I decided to cut the discussion short and returned to my current novel. I helped him from the train when we reached St Pancras Station and said, "Make sure you vote against Johnson and his cronies!" Wittily, O'Mara retorted, "Don't worry pal! We'll get Boris done! Enjoy your march!"
I headed for Marble Arch where I joined a million others as we marched along to parliament. seeking a second referendum to bring an end to this Brexit nightmare. Decades had passed by since I last joined a political demonstration. I held my poster up high and added my voice to the chants and spent four hours standing in Parliament Square as Boris Johnson was again defeated inside The House of Commons.
I suspect O'Mara was put forward because he ticked certain boxes and no one recognised the issues he had and clearly still has, and of course as you say Clegg was expected to win. Looks like you were quite near the front. Cousin got right to the front but others I know didn't even make Parliament Square.
ReplyDeleteI was near the front Tasker and yes I am sure that the casual selection of O'Mara did tick certain boxes.
DeleteWell done, you put me to shame as did my cousin from Bolton, coming all the way down when I just live a few miles away. My eldest daughter is a police officer in the Met and she says if she ever has to arrest me on a march she will disown me!
ReplyDeleteCarshalton? Yes! You should have been there my dear. As Johnson is still twisting and conniving perhaps you will join the NEXT anti-Brexit, anti-Johnson, pro-People's Vote demonstration.
DeleteIf has been having mental issues all the more reason he should step down! For goodness sake! You were brave to speak truth to him! I think it's absolutely wonderful that you and Steve both went to the march. You and a million others!
ReplyDeleteI was sick of sitting on our sofa being angry at the TV.
DeleteOn the one hand we must communicate very directly with MPs. On the other we must realize that they are human and experience all the things we experience along the way.
ReplyDeleteHe seemed so vulnerable. It was as if he had been handed burning coals.
DeleteI am in two minds about a second referendum. One part of me says, yes, it is necessary, as the votes at the first one were largely based on campaigns that ranged from misinformation to outright lies, and people had no real idea of what the outcome would really mean.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, such is democracy; a (small) majority did vote "leave". They could of course keep holding referendums until the decision fits, but that would not at all help to bridge the schism that has opened between leavers and remainers.
De Tocqueville warned us against the tyranny of the majority. The Johnson faction exemplifies the concern.
DeleteOf course, in 1975, Britain voted to join the EU. Having a new referendum would in fact be best of three. I agree with you Meike that it would not necessarily be a healing process. And Philip - yes - Johnson's harnessing of "majority" has indeed appeared quite sinister.
DeleteI think enough water has passed under the bridge since the first referendum in 2016 that a second is warranted. We now know a lot more about the ramifications and expense involved with leaving, and a lot more young people who couldn't vote then -- but whose futures hinge on this decision -- are now in a position to cast a ballot. We also know some of what the campaigners said was completely false. The voters are (potentially) more educated now.
DeleteIf Johnson and his pals are so sure of the benefits of Brexit why are they so afraid of a second referendum? Could it be that they know they would lose?
DeleteI get angry that factions (often on the right) get away so many empty but incendiary phrases, such as "take back control", "surrender act", "not fit to be pm", "Labour bankrupted the country", "no deal", none of which stand up to scrutiny. Repeat them enough times and people believe them.
Delete"Get Brexit Done!" is also a fallacious notion but Johnson has kept hammering it home like a mind-bending mantra. I would like to hire an assassin to "Get Johnson Done!"
DeleteJared would be in even more trouble if he said that!
Delete"Get Tasker Done!" is probably what your school chums would yell at the start of every school day.
DeleteAnd here's me campaigning this end (France) to get the 1.3 million Brits living in the EU a vote THIS TIME ROUND! The 2016 vote would definitely have been different if we had not been disenfranchised!
DeleteWow! What an encounter! I admire you for speaking frankly to the guy but I feel bad for him, too. He probably doesn't belong in politics. (And I expect he knows that now.)
ReplyDeleteThat photo is NOT me -- I'm much younger (ha!) -- but I do dig the glasses!
The glasses have dollar signs in the lenses so that made me suspect it was you.
DeleteGlad you went and took the trouble to report. The MSM have Jared at Sheffield Midland around 0900h and then travelling 1st class to London accompanied by his father. MSM are nothing but spin and fake news.
ReplyDelete44 million wow I suspect billions didn't vote to leave but of the 46,500.001 eligible 17,410,742 voted leave, 16,141,241 voted remain and there were 25,359 invalid votes. Not to worry maths isn't your subject.
Children also count. You forgot about them but I didn't. It's all about detail. My poster referred to "people", not voters.
DeleteHow in the name of reason can children be allowed a vote? You are being disingenuous. I assume you didn't and don't expect minors to vote.
DeleteI guess that Jared was on the 0737h train. I have a deep distrust of the MSM, the photo they have is taken in full daylight but it could have been shot on any day. It does have a time and date stamp but I can fiddle those quick sticks. Naughty reporter but he did post his copy at 0921h.
I did not say anything about children voting but the repercussions of Brexit will impact upon them more than anybody else. This in not disingenuousness at all, it is a straightforward truth. I am sorry for your confusion.
DeleteDon't be sorry for me, I am not confused. I do wonder who is fibbing in this post? MSM or you. Could I be arsed I would investigate. I can't, some welding to do. posh welding so will file it under 'Things that never happened.'
DeleteIf I was a god and could see the future then I would never leave it to the children. I can't and am not a god so do the best I can whilst ignoring and opposing Germans and socialists.
The last word.
DeleteAt last.
ReplyDeleteIn following the debacle from afar, I waited and waited and I saw no mention from any British person who wrote a post or commented on the Brexit situation about contacting their local MP.
Nothing.
After all these people are your elected representatives, it shouldn't matter which party they represent.
They represent you. Question them. Tell them how you view a particular political situation. Abuse,obscenities and bricks do not have to be hurled.
And do not hide behind those tired old excuses of it's a waste of time; no one listens; it won't make any difference.
Maybe it's not the British way of doing things. Maybe you'd rather whinge and complain.
I am using the 'you' here to include all voters.
At least you spoke to the MP on the train, that's a giant step forward.
I was wryly amused by the wording on your poster and thought fleetingly that you might have a future as a political speech writer..
Both Red and Librarian make valid points.
Perhaps you, as a British voter could suggest how a second referendum might come about??
Alphie
How could it come about? I have no idea Alphie. But I am hoping that parliament's perpetual impasse will lead inexorably to asking the people to decide. The Brexit cat should never have been let out of the bag.
DeleteIf there was another referendum would you accept the result if Leave won? I voted to leave the EU because I want the UK to be free and independent, whilst working in co-operation with our European neighbours for the common good.
ReplyDeleteYes. I would accept the result if "Leave" won, even though such a result would make Britain weaker and poorer. More to the point, would you accept the result if "Remain" won?
DeleteNo comment on this because we are in the midst of a constitutional crises brought on by fear mongering, hate and a great big fat school yard bully. All the best to you all.
ReplyDeleteThe parallels are remarkable Linda.
DeleteI just admire you for making the effort and going to voice your opinion. Feel sad for your MP for having mental issues, or is that just an excuse?
ReplyDeleteNo. He genuinely does have mental health issues Thelma.
DeleteThank you for your reply. I always accept the result of a election/referendum, whether I agreed with it or not. Why should there be a second referendum? The oft quoted view that leave voters did not know what they were voting for is wrong.
ReplyDeleteBut Debbie, 1.3 million expat Brits in the EU were denied the vote on a subject that will affect them more than most Brits in the UK. If we get the vote in a second referendum then I could accept that result as a democratic result!
DeleteMy brother and his girlfriend - living in southern France were also denied their votes. To Debbie I say this...Britain voted to join the EU in 1975 so why did we need the referendum of 2016? The People's March was effectively about having a third referendum. Best of three seems fair to me.
DeleteThe difference is that in 1975 the result of the referendum was accepted for over 40 years. I was too young to vote then, but I don't recall people asking for a re-run because the result didn't go their way.
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that the British people now know much, much more about what Brexit means and how it will damage our economy and peolle's futures. Just as we have general elections every four or five years, there is no reason at all why the referendum result of 2016 should be fixed in stone - never to be challenged. A million who voted Leave are now dead and over a million young people have now reached voting age.
DeleteYou may be assuming that all the young people who have reached voting age would vote to stay in the EU. I could use the same argument to say that I was too young to vote in the 1975 election and should have been given the chance to have my say three years later.
ReplyDeleteWe don't agree about the best outcome for our country, but it is worth remembering that Germany is in a technical recession, Greece and Spain almost bankrupted.
You know those balls they sometimes have in office drawers - made up from hundreds of rubber bands? Well that's just like Britain's relationship with the E.U.. Forty years of economic interweaving and political entanglement. Untangling it all would be so time-consuming and in the end potentially impossible. I think we must agree to disagree Debbie. Thank you for taking the trouble to provide reasons for your pro-Brexit position.
DeleteThank you Mr Pudding. I really enjoy reading your blog. I lived in Sheffield when I was at university and it brings back happy memories of that great city.
DeleteNo wonder you sound like a highly educated woman!
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