One of Brexit’s old slogans has been repurposed for the post-reality age. The arguments, lies and uncertainty on an unprecedented scale have led the Remain Alliance to declare, we want our country back.
Misty eyed nostalgics hark back to a mythical golden age, when the UK charmed and delighted the world. When all Brits were proud to be Brits, when this was an open, liberal and welcoming country. To be specific, 2012.
This, don’t forget, was also the year King Richard III was found lurking under a car park. The eyes of the world were on the UK once again.
Experts commonly agree that this golden age climaxed with Leicester City’s surprise Premier League victory in 2016, and ended shortly after when the notorious referendum on EU membership was held.
In truth, the end was already in sight, as the referendum campaigns gathered momentum. Or rather, one of the campaigns did. The Remain campaign fizzled out like a speech by Theresa May.
The magic of the football season over, the poison of Brexit properly entered the bloodstream of the body politic. We all know what happened next: the narrow majority for Leave was willfully misinterpreted, and hijacked by extremists intent on achieving their fraudulent ends. The UK stalled, paralysed by uncertainty and riven by tribal feuding.
In one sense, Prime Minister In Name Only Boris Johnson is correct when he says we must get Brexit done. But not in the way he projects. Brexit must be put away, confined to the past, abandoned, because it has torn the country apart and will continue to do so unless it is stopped. Perhaps he is hoping to lose the election he demanded, and insisted that he didn’t want, so he doesn’t have to take responsibility for destroying the UK or revoking Article 50.
Brexiters and Remainers alike want to turn the clock back. The difference is that Brexiters want to turn it back to 1812, and Remainers to 2012. Or 2016 if you support Leicester City.