Dangerous insanity

The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Finance Minister) of Britain is said to be about to commit a very stupid and dangerous act. He will ask British voters for suggestions as to how the country might deliberately diverge from or abandon EU rules and regulations. He’s apparently calling it “The Brexit Red-tape Challenge”. Idiot. Doesn’t he know that half the country is against Brexit – and not the stupid half, either. When you are leaving home and hoping for a nice cash handout from your parents you do not set fire to their house.

I thought better of Sajid Javid. Where do they get these people from?

First, this is a Brexit Government. They used the tricks of political artistry to persuade the country that they knew what they were doing. So they are leading the post-Brexit manoeuvres. Or ought to be. The good leaders I know have a strategy and a plan. What is the purpose of achieving power only to say “What do we do now?” It is breathtaking in its stupidity.

Second, what is this going to do for those who regret leaving the European Union? That’s half the country by numbers, more than half of it by brains. I know it is not popular to say that, since democracy assumes we all have exactly the same intellectual level. Well we don’t, and the better informed and more intelligent never wanted to get into the mess the country is now in. How will Chancellor Javid’s ridiculous idea contribute to uniting the people – a declared intention of Boris Johnson (Prime Minister)?

Third, Britain has about seven year’s negotiation ahead of it to settle new terms of trade with Europe, one of its biggest trading partners. Johnson has already made this more difficult than it need have been by sticking his tongue out at Michel Barnier, the Head Negotiator in Europe. M Barnier is not anybody’s pushover, so irritating the fellow seems a frankly ill chosen bit of insanity. I think they’ve forgotten that Britain has 65.2 million people and the rest of the EU some 445 million. Size matters in negotiations. Or didn’t they get that far?

Fourth, while democracy is obviously being taken beyond its limits, there was never any suggestion from Boris or his Chancellor that the entire 66.2 million Britons would be negotiating with M Barnier. The Chancellor has dubbed his idea a “competition”. A competition is a referendum with rewards. Will there be a “competition” for the basis of every nut and bolt trade between the EU and GB? If so, please correct my seven year’s negotiating guess to seventy years.

Fifth, any negotiation is a delicate process. The Chancellor said in Davos recently that the Government would not be making changes for the sake of change. Listening to the rhetoric of the Brexiteers I would have thought that is exactly what they would suggest since they are hell bent on making enemies where there were friends.

The British Government should think before it opens its collective mouth. There are more important things going on in the world than Britain’s negotiation with Europe. They will affect Britain disproportionately now the separation from Europe has been done. If Britain is to stand on its own feet it will need Ministers of stature and sagacity, people who can be seen to be trusted with the future of a country lots of people love.

Brexit Rudeness Competitions do not fit this need. Triumphalism of this sort does not suggest stature.

The Prime Minister should fire his Chancellor without delay. Britain is not at a point of celebration but a rather somber marker in history. Let the Government show it understands that.

If it doesn’t its negotiations with Europe will fail in spades.