The Establishment and Brexit

I did not vote in the 2016 Referendum on whether the UK should leave the European Union as I have lived abroad now for more than a decade. Had I voted it is likely I would have been an unenthusiastic Remainer – a bit like Jeremy Corbyn. However, like “libertarian Marxist” Mick Hume, I have been appalled by the undemocratic response to the Leave vote.  And when the entire British Establishment are in favour of something I am always suspicious. Then I saw this interview with the great John Lydon.

I remember the 1977 Silver Jubilee but I would be lying if I said I remember the controversy Lydon and the Sex Pistols caused with their song God Save the Queen. I was a bit too young for punk, probably past my bedtime. The point is that Lydon was hated by the entire UK Establishment in 1977 and it will be interesting to see how his declaration of support for Brexit (and Donald Trump) will play. What I think Lydon proves is that the old left/right split is becoming redundant. This is especially true of the debate about the EU.

The key question I would take from this interview is this – who do you trust more to tell the truth, John Lydon or the entire UK political and media Establishment? Johnny Rotten versus David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Tony Blair and Nicola Sturgeon? And yes, I do consider the SNP part of the Establishment; they’ve ruled the Scottish County Council for ten years now.

This argument between Nigel Farage and Alastair Campbell, possibly the most dishonest man in Britain (and that’s up against some pretty stiff competition), is proof of how sterile, self-referential and out of touch the whole British political and media class have become.