What is the definition of democracy then?
If nothing else, our Conservative Government’s faffing around with their Brexit ‘negotiations’ has at last proved their disdain for democracy as it is generally understood.
Democracy is supposed to be based on accepting a majority decision, except when it comes to insisting that First Past The Post elections are democratic, when so few winners obtain at least 51 per cent of votes cast.
Our Con Gov insists that the EU’s programme for agreeing the Brexit procedure – the financial settlement, citizens’ rights, oversight by the EU Court of Justice in some matters, and control of the Northern Ireland border before anything else will be considered – does not need to be followed. The EU needs ‘more imagination and flexibility’ to accept that the British insistence that its interests in trade, both within and without the EU, must take priority.
Unfortunately, that appears to be based solely on the historical English principle of arrogance…AKA ‘everyone else must do as we tell them to’. The British insistence ignores the fact that these opposing the EU requirements number one, while those accepting the EU decision number 27. So what is the Con Gov’s definition of ‘democracy’?
Malcolm MacIntyre-Read, Much Wenlock
