That 'Bold New Role'.

Here I am on St Stephen’s (Boxing) Day in the county of Flintsire, Wales, just over the border from England, having at last detached Mother Claus from her responsibilities. We have spent Christmas at the home of one of her brothers, Anthony, and with two of our daughters.... It is interesting to be (nearly) back in England for Christmas.

Crossing the Irish Sea for Christmas.

I see that the Prime Minister of this United Kingdom issued a Christmas message in which she said ‘As we leave the European Union we must seize an historic opportunity to forge a bold new role for ourselves in the world and to unite our country as we move forward into the future.’ Unfortunately, as is her way, she gave no indication of what the ‘bold new role’ might actually be, or on what basis she proposes to ‘unite our country’.

One knows that ‘divide and conquer’ is the Devil’s maxim; divided loyalties are very painful and cause all sorts of difficulties. I wonder if Mrs May spares a thought for all those, such as myself, who though profoundly affected by the Brexit affair, were not accorded a vote in the famous referendum? Ireland has at last been settling into a modus vivendi that has enabled the reconciliation of both Irish and British identities and interests. The EU is an essential pillar of it.

For one thing, given the facts of history, and not merely remote history at that, it is impossible for Irish people, at least those of the culturally Catholic majority, to finally trust the British Government to put justice and truth ahead of what it perceives as their national interest. Alright, it is impossible to be confident that any state will do so. That there exists an ultimate legal authority above any one nation state is a source of comfort to many people like myself, and to many cultural minorities throughout Europe.

So here I am, while accepting that the referendum showed up severe problems that need to be addressed, in no way impressed with its result when it actually comes to charting the way ahead. Anyway, the notion that it should do so is alien to the British constitution and tradition, which allow for government by a Sovereign whose authority is vested in Parliament. The people exercise their democratic rights by electing representatives to that Parliament, on the basis that these will act on the basis of the principles which they professed when they stood for election, in accordance with their own consciences.

This Mrs May is not doing. Instead she is off on trip that neither she nor anyone else has actually laid out in the six months since the referendum. Will this ‘bold new role’ be a matter, perhaps, of being President Trump’s stooge, in the manner of Mr Nigel Farage? Will it be a matter of playing the court jester, in the manner of the Foreign Secretary who has been described by the Prime Minister as ‘not representing the views of the British Government’! Will it be a field day for racists and nationalists, who wish all those bloody foreigners would go to Hell? Or rather a field day for the billionaires who have financed the said racists, leaving them at liberty to make yet more billions free of all those financial, social and environmental constraints that the beastly Europeans have been frustrating them with?

Besides Mr Trump, this situation is no doubt a source of glee to that other president, Mr Putin. He has realised exceptionally good returns on the few millions which he has invested in far right parties, in terms of confusing, dividing and ultimately impoverishing Western Europe.

The only good that may come of it all, as far as I can see, is that when contemplating the real alternatives, Europe will realise how precious and important are her faltering steps to move beyond nationalism, and develop political institutions capable of addressing the profound and critical challenges of the 21st century. These challenges must be addressed by the nations working together, or they will not be addressed at all, to not just the most serious detriment, but very possibly the extinction also, of most life on Earth.

Clare coast by Luke.

Happy New Year to you all!