May 1
Last week we say that economic growth is slowing, and crime is up, more evidence that the impacts of Brexit are making themselves felt. We learnt from reports on a summit of the EU with Britain that May is unbriefed and unprepared. That we are not taking back control so much as taking leave of our senses.
Britain deserves better than soundbites and spin, and a government that constantly tries to hide and bury or delay bad news, and that stage manages public appearances by keeping the public out, and getting party members to pretend to be the public.
And tells us it would be hard to say no to the US. Yes, of course it will be if we become supplicants, going it alone…
May is living in a dangerous bubble populated by fantasies dreamt up by hard brexiters. But she is keeping the country in the dark even as she seeks an increased mandate. A mandate for what? We do not know. This is not being put to the people.
And voting for her in Scotland won't strengthen the Union. Only policies can do that, and Tory policies on the NHS and other questions, and Tory harsh brexit are inimical to the Union and to the way Scotland votes.
The tory party are of course a coalition of chaos, with their extreme right, Blukip wings versus more liberal, pro-Europe wings. The current takeover by nationalist, authoritarian little englanders is not good for the country. Remember that the Tories may be good at feigning unity at election time, but civil war is never far away, with the country seen as acceptable collateral damage.
May wants her cake before we've even got the ingredients together, let alone baked (or half-baked) it. Let's give her some hard shoulder instead.
Will the tory manifesto be clear? It might appear so, but Britain's position is at such odds with the EUs that it will not be worth the paper it is written on.