The “Bad Boys Of Brexit” relates the adventures of Nigel Farage, Aaron Banks and Andy Wigmore and the Leave.eu campaign from July 2015 to the referendum and beyond, with a later addendum taking the story up to the May election announcement . It’s told in diary format as written by Aaron Banks, one of the leaders of Leave.eu. The blurb tells us that “every Remainer should steel themselves to read it, because the mindset that it captures…is driving change on both sides of the Atlantic.” (Gaby Hinsliff, The Guardian).
Comments
Excellent piece Viewcode.
Oh and first.
I'm amazed that Oakeshott has managed to compose a semi-fictionalised work that apparently doesn't include dead pigs. Although with Banks included there is at least a pig in there.
No they're not unusual. e.g. Thatcher's memoirs are minor masterpieces. Lots of politicians, Left and Right, write very fine books, witb precious insight.
Cameron's memoirs are revealing, but not in the way he intended - if these extracts are anything to go by.
Skittle them. Knock them out. Behead them,
If Swinson believed she could be PM that revoke pledge would never have been made.
Only kidding, it's a very good article
You can get 27/1 against an Aussie win.
They have completely misread the public mood. Remainers aren't coming to them for ultra-Remain policies, they are coming to them because the Lib Dems are (or were) honest but fair Remainers, who have stood by their principles.
Now the Lib Dems have an insane and extremist policy, they are as bad as the No Deal Ultras. And how can they say the name Liberal "Democrats" ever again, without getting a load of abuse?
Tut tut tut.
Having thought about this for - ooh - five minutes, the best policy would be a Revoke and Reconsider, with a cross-party body to recommend a Brexit to be put again to the people.
A flat-out Revoke is just —- irresponsible.
I agree with the comment above, though.
There certainly is a Brexit-cancellation bonus and it should be spent directly on initiatives that promise to bridge “the great divide” between the have regions and the have-nots.
You can however, judge it to be highly flawed and in need for a re-do. That the original referendum was flawed is pretty much common sense.
While I am at it, having Guy Verhofwotsit at the conference is pisspoor too.
Byronic is right, I am a Hardcore Remainer but it doesn’t mean I am in love with the EU.
https://twitter.com/dez_holmes/status/1173202880221843456?s=21
As a former Leave voter and LD member, I'm quite comfortable with the party's policy.
A GE is and has been the traditional method of choice in our democracy. Parties present programmes which, and given our recent experience I would accept a note of scepticism, should be the template for the government they would be.
The LDs have clearly said in the event of winning a GE majority, they would revoke - I'd also like to think the next manifesto would include a commitment to introducing STV if elected with a majority.
Yes, there are those who continue to point to 23/6/16 and argue the result must be "respected". Will they be doing this in 2026, 2036 or 2046 if we haven't left? There are plenty of instances where countries voted one way in one referendum only to reverse it later.
All we are doing is using the GE as a potential mechanism for reviewing the first result rather than a second referendum. The Conservatives can go into that election on a commitment to honour the 2016 result, Deal or No Deal, though I suspect they won't mention that exiting via an agreed WA keeps us in the EU for an extra year or so with all the commitments and obligations pertaining and none of the decision making involvement.
If Opinium is right they'll win a stonking majority and Boris can then stab the No Dealers wherever he chooses but if ComRes is right it won't be his problem any longer.
Opinium: CON/BP 50%, Lab/LD/Green 43%
ComRes: CON/BP 41%, Lab/LD/Green 52%
Yeah, right....
It is now generally understood across the spectrum that the Vote was a massive fuck up, the constitutional equivalent of the Iraq War.
I'd still vote Leave again without hesitation, but I expect my next Parliamentary vote will be spoilt.
When we rejoin it is critical we insist on having British-German meetings ahead of each European summit, just like the French-German ones.
A mendacious proposition that unsurprisingly failed to persuade the nation.
Typical of Cameron that he didn't think he needed professional assistance. Perhaps he thought "I'd be rather good as a writer".
While the Leaver vote was split between Deal with May or No Deal with the Brexit Party, Boris has largely united it behind the Tories on a Brexit with a Deal or No Deal platform.
So the main winner today under FPTP is Boris
Yep there’s a few political books in there - including the Obama bio - but they’re hard to find among the Philippa Gregory, Ian Fleming, and Sam Cam’s art books.
https://twitter.com/anitathetweeter/status/1172993181404844032?s=21
Silly silly idea. Tsk
By which I mean great review of a book.
The policy is to Revoke if the Party wins a Parliamentary majority otherwise it's to support a second vote and continue to block a No Deal which is completely consistent. Why wouldn't those wishing to Remain (more than 10% I suspect) have a clear and unambiguous voice?
The Conservatives are currently riding both the horses of No Deal AND leaving with a Deal but the time is fast approaching when they will be forced to decide which horse they are really on. With No Deal blocked, the options then become leaving with a WA (really?) or storming off in a huff with the traditional Conservative attitude of evading responsibility and leaving the tough decisions to others.
What are the chances of the match finishing today?
But how many want to simply Revoke, and sod democracy? 10%? 15%? And how many will be comfortable with a party that espouses the cancellation of votes?
It's a deeply stupid policy.
I's a serious book masquerading as light entertainment, with the diary format giving the narrative stucture. It does have one major advantage which I didn't mention: there is a list of all the characters with a brief descriptory paragraph for each person. This kind of stuff is golddust, and I was really pleased it's there. If you don't like the main body of the book, it's still worth it just for that section, IMHO.
But I'm inclined to believe the whole move is really just because Labour's policy has moved on and the LDs need to stay ahead of it in a game of remainer than thou.
Mr. JS, perhaps. I think it likelier the EU and pro-EU politicians here would've sought to integrate us more rapidly to make leaving all the harder.
Someone was going on about euroscepticism being in the intellectual DNA of the Tory party. We've left the intellectual side of Brexit, such as it is, with this bunch of yahoos with a vengeance.
I guess reading the book is like spending a few hours in the company of Aaron Banks.
There's only one thing I can think of which would beat that.
So becoming LD leader offers him the best chance of power
https://twitter.com/Otto_English/status/1173231480421662722?s=20
https://super6.skysports.com/
Edited extra bit: not sure it counts as betting, actually, as there's no potential loss.
She’s a journalist in her own right.
And the cutbacks in the UK are nasty.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/perfect-storm-of-rnli-job-cuts-2wbnk6qvk
Hmm.
Lots of Remainers are dismayed by the idea of simply ignoring and nullifying the referendum. Rightly so.
As in would revoke be acceptable , the figure is much higher in those. As much as 40% .
Edit that . In May Comres found 51% , 33% very acceptable , 18% somewhat acceptable .
Swinson will be thinking anything that can shift diehard Remainers away from Corbyn Labour towards her party must be worth the risk