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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/28/is-nothing-free-from-brexit-of-please-stritctly-out-of-it-vince
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Is nothing free from Brexit? Oh please leave Strictly out of it, Vince | Is nothing free from Brexit? Oh please leave Strictly out of it, Vince |
| (5 days later) | |
| At first, I thought that it was a spoof story – the Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, said that Strictly Come Dancing was under threat from Brexit, because EU dancers would have to go home. However, it (Strexit, anybody?) wasn’t a spoof. | At first, I thought that it was a spoof story – the Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, said that Strictly Come Dancing was under threat from Brexit, because EU dancers would have to go home. However, it (Strexit, anybody?) wasn’t a spoof. |
| Cable, a contestant on the 2010 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, said: “As British society falls apart, it could pose a risk to Strictly… If we have a cack-handed immigration policy like we have for non-EU citizens, all kinds of perverse decisions could be made.” | Cable, a contestant on the 2010 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, said: “As British society falls apart, it could pose a risk to Strictly… If we have a cack-handed immigration policy like we have for non-EU citizens, all kinds of perverse decisions could be made.” |
| A government spokesperson said: “I think Strictly will be fine.” Jacob Rees-Mogg gleefully leapt on Cable’s statement as “silly”, while Andrew Bridgen, the MP for North West Leicestershire, labelled it “Project Fear with tassels”. | A government spokesperson said: “I think Strictly will be fine.” Jacob Rees-Mogg gleefully leapt on Cable’s statement as “silly”, while Andrew Bridgen, the MP for North West Leicestershire, labelled it “Project Fear with tassels”. |
| It almost makes it worse that Cable was fresh from a meeting with the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, to discuss the prospect of a second referendum, following the huge People’s Vote march last weekend. Moreover, Cable’s core point was sound – the general situation for all EU residents in the UK could be viewed as anything from unresolved to calamitous. When it comes to the entertainment industry, the Musicians’ Union, dance companies and other arts organisations have called upon the government to protect the free movement of performers. Even though the government claims to have these issues under control, with the hash it’s making of everything else, who’s to believe that? | It almost makes it worse that Cable was fresh from a meeting with the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, to discuss the prospect of a second referendum, following the huge People’s Vote march last weekend. Moreover, Cable’s core point was sound – the general situation for all EU residents in the UK could be viewed as anything from unresolved to calamitous. When it comes to the entertainment industry, the Musicians’ Union, dance companies and other arts organisations have called upon the government to protect the free movement of performers. Even though the government claims to have these issues under control, with the hash it’s making of everything else, who’s to believe that? |
| Still, why was Strictly dragged into it? Only four of the current crop of professional dancers are of EU origin, while five are British and nine are from countries outside Europe. However, that’s missing the point. It seems that Cable was attempting to evoke Strictly as a bespangled metaphor for not just a British light entertainment institution but a British way of life. He was using the popular dance show to simplify complicated issues for people, some of whom, even now, may have “had enough of experts”. (Apart from experts who know how to steer former cricketers and newsreaders through a half-credible rumba.) | Still, why was Strictly dragged into it? Only four of the current crop of professional dancers are of EU origin, while five are British and nine are from countries outside Europe. However, that’s missing the point. It seems that Cable was attempting to evoke Strictly as a bespangled metaphor for not just a British light entertainment institution but a British way of life. He was using the popular dance show to simplify complicated issues for people, some of whom, even now, may have “had enough of experts”. (Apart from experts who know how to steer former cricketers and newsreaders through a half-credible rumba.) |
| Again, the central premise is interesting. After all, there’s a national tendency to view shows such as Strictly or The Great British Bake Off as positive snapshots of British culture (in the same way perhaps that shows such as Big Brother and Love Island are perceived as negative). For some people to feel that the Strictly/Bake Off professionals, contestants and judges prove something about how “we’re all multicultural/non-homophobic/non-sexist/woke now” and to take a certain comfort and pride in that. | Again, the central premise is interesting. After all, there’s a national tendency to view shows such as Strictly or The Great British Bake Off as positive snapshots of British culture (in the same way perhaps that shows such as Big Brother and Love Island are perceived as negative). For some people to feel that the Strictly/Bake Off professionals, contestants and judges prove something about how “we’re all multicultural/non-homophobic/non-sexist/woke now” and to take a certain comfort and pride in that. |
| In which case, where’s the harm in Cable using Strictly to rattle a few complacent cages, in order to make a more serious point? Well, arguably, plenty. As that march proved, the Remain case is being made without resorting to such tacky populist and patronisingly simplistic manoeuvres – best to leave all that to the panicking scrabbling Westminster Brexiters. As the past few years have more than demonstrated, over-simplifying issues doesn’t make them simpler, it just makes them stupider. So while Strexit wasn’t a spoof, it should have been. | In which case, where’s the harm in Cable using Strictly to rattle a few complacent cages, in order to make a more serious point? Well, arguably, plenty. As that march proved, the Remain case is being made without resorting to such tacky populist and patronisingly simplistic manoeuvres – best to leave all that to the panicking scrabbling Westminster Brexiters. As the past few years have more than demonstrated, over-simplifying issues doesn’t make them simpler, it just makes them stupider. So while Strexit wasn’t a spoof, it should have been. |
| • Barbara Ellen is an Observer columnist | • Barbara Ellen is an Observer columnist |
| Vince Cable | Vince Cable |
| Opinion | Opinion |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| Strictly Come Dancing | Strictly Come Dancing |
| Article 50 | Article 50 |
| European Union | European Union |
| Foreign policy | Foreign policy |
| Reality TV | |
| comment | comment |
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