crossroads

SE1 - The Flyover

2019 ticks over to 2020. At a bit of a crossroads, locally and nationally and, probably, internationally. Should we believe in the optimism, allow a type of Stockholm-Syndrome to wash over us and take the easy route, or remember the many lies we've been told? To get back some sort of balance, we need to sort out an effective opposition to this thing (I don't think they really know) we have on the government benches at the moment. In an early post I said it was a conspiracy mindset, and whatever else that that entails, that allowed Brexit to take hold. I also said it was an act of self-harm, and so a cry for help. This may still be true - people saying they voted Brexit/Conservative (more specifically Johnson) to 'shake things up' - but the xenophobia behind much of the rhetoric is clearly much more of a driving factor than I thought. There are reports of seeing more people feeling emboldened in these sorts of views now, thinking (rightly or wrongly) the government is on their side. It is this hate - and fear and whatever else that brings with it - that has allowed Brexit to really flourish as an ideology, a cult. The 'national desire to be heard' reasoning was maybe too generous. People voted, perhaps, not so much against Corbyn (though obviouly they did) but for Johnson. I think honesty will allow us to see that it simply comes down to wanting to follow, to be told what to think and not have to think and be told that you're exceptional, one of the gang, trusting in a leader. It may be why so many religious believers support this type of politician too. There is scary talk of us being in an age of the 'strong-man', and even in a post-democracy - terrifying, hopefully an over-reaction. But Johnson succeeded where supply teacher for the public schoolboys May who was - you can easily imagine Francois and Rees-Mogg sniggering - never could. And so, depressing as it may be, let Labour not be too lofty in their ideals - for the moment at least - in appointing their leader. Johnson and the rest are likely to be most cowed by Starmer, and for them - and apparently much of the the electorate - the posturing does count for something. Don't waste any more time allowing Johnson to think he really is king, dictator, just freely in charge of everything. That's not good for any leader of a democracy. Labour should give the job to Starmer and just get on with it. Get it done, as some might say. Perhaps Philips could be a challenge to him, but I dont think any of the others still in the running could. Not that Starmer is a bad person for the role anyway; surely he'd surround himself with a diverse group of ministers to challenge the untrustworthiness and apparent paucity (though some more is being spoken about now than just Brexit) of this government's current pledges, and seemingly he's already prioritised leaving no doubt about eradicating all anti-Semitism. What has been reported - that people said they would have voted Labour if Starmer was leader - is something I heard too. Labour are just going to have to fight dirty, else the tactics used by the Conservatives will probably continue to trump any idealism. As when Labour members in clips from the time apparently wanted Blair as leader (ahead of Prescott and Beckett) because he 'looked good', if Labour want to avoid irrelevance and to be an opposition the government won't just dismiss, the thinking probably has to be similarly cynical. 

There is room for optimism of course, a few reasons at the moment actually and not just the ones our PM wants us to trust him with (I'd like to but can't; Johnson lies...). One reason is this: someone I know who's proven to be very perceptive about things over many years, says the first 'big shock' will be in 6 months. People will realise it's maybe not what they were promised, that there are too many lies, and that is a bad thing but unsustainable. 

So much feels like 'we shall see'. 

The photo is of the flyover at the Bricklayers' Arms, SEI, London, pretty much joining the Old and New Kent Roads. A double exposure on Kodak colourplus 200 with my old Canon EOS 3000N.