What does the new new party ‘Change UK’ want to change?
Rachael Johnson has announced that she will be a candidate for the European Parliamentary elections, if the UK takes part. Her father, Stanley, used to be a Conservative MEP and her brothers, Boris and Jo, are Conservative MPs in the UK Parliament; Rachael joked that she is entering politics to spend more time with her family [1]. She may share the wit of her more famous, big brother but what a pity she will be standing for the Change UK party which advocates no change; it used to be known as The Independent Group but doesn’t want independence for the UK from the EU.
She accused her brother and others of “rubbing out” her children’s’ futures, neglecting to notice how the EU has rubbed out the future of millions of young people already, with sky-high levels of youth unemployment in many poorer states. (Although the EU claims to be working to reduce unemployment they blame their member states for it remaining so high – because “there isn’t enough union in this Union” (Jean-Claude Juncker – see Still More Juncker). She went on to say, “I’m sure that Boris understands why this is not a vote against Boris. This is a vote for change.” If elected her thinking should help her fit right in with her colleagues in Brussels where Newspeak is the common language (see Brexit Lexicon-Part 3).
The Brexit Party has only one clear policy – Brexit: the CUK/TIG Party has just one clear policy – remain. If the latter called itself the Remain Party perhaps its polling levels might be nearer the former’s.
Every MP in the Change UK Party was elected on a manifesto promise to leave the EU but they have changed their minds and are now working to ensure the UK remains a member – is that what they mean by ‘change’ then? Not one has volunteered to ask their constituents whether they still support them or would prefer to change their representative.
Dominic Grieve lost a vote of confidence by his constituency party, which means he may be deselected and unable to retain his seat at the next election [2]. Why were they being so nasty about him voting against Brexit in Parliament when he is honestly standing up for what he believes? Oh! sorry, he stood for election on what he didn’t believe in. From the Conservative of 2017 manifesto: “As we leave the European Union…” and “When we leave the European Union…” (repeated often).
Meanwhile the Liberal Democrat Party has made Remain its main policy – no policy change just an explicit declaration of its main priority. So why didn’t the TIGs (changelings) join the LibDems instead of attempting to split the Remain vote?
This EU Won't Work 