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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/sep/01/the-guardian-view-on-johnsons-troll-tactics-outrage-critics-energise-supporters

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The Guardian view on Johnson’s troll tactics: outrage critics, energise supporters The Guardian view on Johnson’s troll tactics: outrage critics, energise supporters
(about 4 hours later)
When anti no-deal Conservative MPs meet with the prime minister on Monday, they ought to ask what has changed in a few weeks to see a no-deal Brexit go from being a “million-to-one shot” to now having a “50-50” chance of happening. Boris Johnson’s so far mercifully brief time in office has, by his own words, reduced the likelihood of negotiating a deal with the European Union 500,000-fold. Truth has long been a casualty of Brexit, but with Mr Johnson’s ascent to Downing Street Britain has truly fallen victim to a virus of populism. The prime minister is complicit in undermining deliberative democracy and replacing it with lies. The will of the people, absurdly, is now defined by the 52% who voted leave three years ago. The government unfairly tars its opponents as deviously powerful groups of remainers who are adept at using institutions like the courts to frustrate Brexit. If anti no-deal Conservative MPs had been able to meet the prime minister on Monday, they could have asked him what has changed in a few weeks to see a no-deal Brexit go from being a “million-to-one shot” to now having a “50-50” chance of happening. Boris Johnson’s so far mercifully brief time in office has, by his own words, reduced the likelihood of negotiating a deal with the European Union 500,000-fold. Truth has long been a casualty of Brexit, but with Mr Johnson’s ascent to Downing Street Britain has truly fallen victim to a virus of populism. The prime minister is complicit in undermining deliberative democracy and replacing it with lies. The will of the people, absurdly, is now defined by the 52% who voted leave three years ago. The government unfairly tars its opponents as deviously powerful groups of remainers who are adept at using institutions like the courts to frustrate Brexit.
Thankfully, some are still unbowed. Former Tory ministers are threatening to seize control of the order paper in parliament this week and push through a bill preventing a no-deal Brexit. They ought to be backed. Britain teeters on the cliff edge of a hard Brexit. Even with the support of 10 DUP MPs, a dozen or so Tory rebels can bring down a wayward Johnson government by leaving it. In response, the prime minister has refused to rule out automatically deselecting any Tory MP who moves against his administration. With a majority of just one, it is only a matter of time before Mr Johnson will have to go the country in a snap general election. When the prime minister does so, he will want to do it on the best possible terms. To remain in the EU would mean Mr Johnson’s political death. His own party membership has become so radicalised that they would rather break up the United Kingdom than not leave the EU.Thankfully, some are still unbowed. Former Tory ministers are threatening to seize control of the order paper in parliament this week and push through a bill preventing a no-deal Brexit. They ought to be backed. Britain teeters on the cliff edge of a hard Brexit. Even with the support of 10 DUP MPs, a dozen or so Tory rebels can bring down a wayward Johnson government by leaving it. In response, the prime minister has refused to rule out automatically deselecting any Tory MP who moves against his administration. With a majority of just one, it is only a matter of time before Mr Johnson will have to go the country in a snap general election. When the prime minister does so, he will want to do it on the best possible terms. To remain in the EU would mean Mr Johnson’s political death. His own party membership has become so radicalised that they would rather break up the United Kingdom than not leave the EU.
Without a withdrawal agreement to offer MPs, Mr Johnson would be forced to own the damaging social, economic and political consequences of a no-deal Brexit – but he would be able to unite the right. The cries of betrayal from Nigel Farage’s Brexit party would ring hollow in the ears of leavers if the prime minister pursued a no-deal Brexit. With a withdrawal agreement, obtained by somehow convincing the EU to remove the Irish backstop, Mr Johnson would have to secure the backing of Labour MPs to offset hardline Conservative MPs from the European Research Group who will accept nothing short of a hard Brexit. If he managed to do so, then the prime minister could claim to have split the Labour party.Without a withdrawal agreement to offer MPs, Mr Johnson would be forced to own the damaging social, economic and political consequences of a no-deal Brexit – but he would be able to unite the right. The cries of betrayal from Nigel Farage’s Brexit party would ring hollow in the ears of leavers if the prime minister pursued a no-deal Brexit. With a withdrawal agreement, obtained by somehow convincing the EU to remove the Irish backstop, Mr Johnson would have to secure the backing of Labour MPs to offset hardline Conservative MPs from the European Research Group who will accept nothing short of a hard Brexit. If he managed to do so, then the prime minister could claim to have split the Labour party.
Politics is about perception. What ought to worry us all is that Mr Johnson feels he has enough popular support in the country not only to pursue a hard Brexit but to weaponise it in an election campaign. No holds will be barred by a prime minister who has suspended parliament for five weeks – the longest prorogation since 1945 – to narrow the possible window of opposition, or by his ministers who refuse to rule out ignoring any law passed by parliament to stop no deal.Politics is about perception. What ought to worry us all is that Mr Johnson feels he has enough popular support in the country not only to pursue a hard Brexit but to weaponise it in an election campaign. No holds will be barred by a prime minister who has suspended parliament for five weeks – the longest prorogation since 1945 – to narrow the possible window of opposition, or by his ministers who refuse to rule out ignoring any law passed by parliament to stop no deal.
This is in itself an election strategy. Mr Johnson’s experience as the face of Vote Leave has taught him how to turn outrage into political energy. Since taking office, his administration has leaked the idea that it is prepared to do the constitutionally shocking to deliver Brexit. Mr Johnson has then allowed his government to bathe in the flood of negative publicity, and use the media’s coverage – particularly focusing on the storm of fury and indignation – to whip up the Tory grassroots, generate interest in their hard Brexitism, and stoke the belief that a “remainer elite” was against them. The trouble is that Mr Johnson is not bothered about playing fast and loose with the truth. It is part of his plan to paint himself as a victim of remainer bias ahead of an impending election. Whatever the outcome of the UK-EU negotiations in the next few weeks, Brexit is just the beginning of a much longer process that shows no sign of doing this country any good at all.This is in itself an election strategy. Mr Johnson’s experience as the face of Vote Leave has taught him how to turn outrage into political energy. Since taking office, his administration has leaked the idea that it is prepared to do the constitutionally shocking to deliver Brexit. Mr Johnson has then allowed his government to bathe in the flood of negative publicity, and use the media’s coverage – particularly focusing on the storm of fury and indignation – to whip up the Tory grassroots, generate interest in their hard Brexitism, and stoke the belief that a “remainer elite” was against them. The trouble is that Mr Johnson is not bothered about playing fast and loose with the truth. It is part of his plan to paint himself as a victim of remainer bias ahead of an impending election. Whatever the outcome of the UK-EU negotiations in the next few weeks, Brexit is just the beginning of a much longer process that shows no sign of doing this country any good at all.
BrexitBrexit
OpinionOpinion
ConservativesConservatives
Boris JohnsonBoris Johnson
European UnionEuropean Union
Foreign policyForeign policy
House of CommonsHouse of Commons
LabourLabour
editorialseditorials
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