Steven Rose

A year or so ago, it wasn't uncommon to hear the opinion that while Corbyn's Labour may be valuable in opposition, it was not a party for governing. In recent days, Corbyn and his team have confirmed that diagnosis. For the first time in British history, Government has been found in contempt of Parliament. Crucial matters of the UK constitution have been withdrawn from consideration by Parliament because Government no longer commands a majority. All other parties in Parliament have called for a vote of no confidence in the government, and have been hoping that Corbyn would show leadership in this regard. Here was the opportunity to seize control of both Government and of the Brexit process, and end this ridiculous impasse by asking the UK what vision they have for their future. Were Corbyn to announce he was seeking a vote of no confidence in the government , it  seems incredibly likely that such a move would have commanded enough support to pursue this course. Bu...

[Originally published at steven.rose.postach.io on 25/09/18.] The case for a second referendum on leaving the EU is compelling. For one thing, it's beginning to seem like the case for such a referendum will eventually become an irrelevant question. When the mechanism of decision making that is the British parliament fails to make a decision - the parliamentary arithmetic favouring no vision of Brexit or otherwise - the question will still loom ominously, at which point it is likely that the government will see fit to throw the decision back to the public. It's not very clear how else such an impasse could be resolved. But even on its own merits, the idea is attractive. The question now, at last, could be clear. The first referendum was not an example of democracy in action. The question was ill-posed, and served to provide the conservative government the appearance of a mandate, and the false appearance of acting on behalf of the people's mandate, without this ma...