Well, I think we can all agree Parliament was at its very worst this week.
I have previously written that after three years we remain deadlocked. We have debated the former PM’s deal, a second referendum, Customs Union, Single Market, no deal, Norway-plus, Canada-plus and multiple other variations.
Each and every option was rejected in Parliament, with the default extension kicking the can down the road, with the repeated delays creating further tension, division and anger. The deadlock can only be broken by compromise, so seriously lacking on all sides up to now.
On Wednesday Parliament was recalled. What we saw was positions hardening, anger and frankly bile spilling over in the Chamber. We are further away now from breaking the deadlock than ever before.
To be fair, the behaviour of MPs on all sides was equally poor. Not all MPs, but too many – collectively Parliament could and should do better. I was due to hold one of my regular school assemblies on democracy on Monday. Yesterday’s performance in the Chamber is not an example anyone would want to share with the next generation.
I have always been proud to be an MP. Hand on heart, I am not proud now of Parliament.
Why have we reached this point? Putting to one side the rights or wrongs of Brexit, I suspect the reality is, if it wasn’t this issue, it would be something else – politics is becoming more polarised.
Too many politicians don’t live in their respective local communities. They don’t understand and share the issues, the real issues that interest the public. They are remote, they are sheltered, and they rely on their social media following for public opinion. By its nature it is an echo chamber, with loyal supporters cheering their every action and opponents easily blocked or dismissed. This simply re-enforces the view that each MP thinks they are right, and everyone else is wrong.
The vast majority of the public, the busy public, understandably don’t engage through social media. This is why living in your community should be a given for all MPs.
I supported Brexit in the referendum. My good friend Robert Buckland MP voted Remain. We both respect the result, but we also understand it was a close result and that we should do everything we can to find a suitable compromise that works. This is what the vast majority of the public tell us, we understand that.
This must be a given, not just between Robert and I, but in Parliament – shouting and heckling will not break the deadlock, engaging and working together can and will be the way to deliver Brexit.
I don’t want to give up on Parliament as a force for good. There is so much done cross-party, we all have friends across the political divides who we have worked with, campaigned with and helped shape important changes to issues, laws and legislation.
There is much we can collectively be proud of – this week isn’t one, we all could and should do better.
On a positive note, thank you to the Ridge Coffee Club, a brilliant residents group who organise regular charity community events at the Jovial Monk, on St. Andrews Ridge. Fresh from having raised £2,500 for a Defibrillator and another £600 for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, it was a pleasure to join them at their successful Macmillan Coffee Morning.
