GP Taylor: Dangerous attempts to stop Brexit destroying trust in democracy

One woman in the local fruit and veg shop summed it up nicely. “What’s the point in voting if they don’t do what the majority of people voted for?” I totally agree. What is the point?

When I talk to politicians, the one thing they cannot understand is why they are not trusted by the people in the street. I did inform one high-ranking Tory that it was because some people think they were a bunch of liars who were only in the job to line their own pockets and careers.

This whole Brexit fiasco is a fine example of just that. Britain voted to leave, not stay or have a Norway-style agreement. The majority of people no longer want to be ruled by Europe. However, some politicians would rather have us stay because they want us to. They think the British public are too stupid to make such important decisions.

Just as happened in Ireland, they want us to vote, vote and vote again until we give them the answer they want and that answer isn’t leave.

What they forget is that the British public are not stupid. We know what the politicians are trying to do. So, no wonder there is a significant loss of confidence in them.

I, for one, am totally sick and wish Theresa May would call an election so we can get rid of them. They have completely lost my trust and the trust of millions of people. There is nothing they can do to re-establish that trust. It is gone for good.

Politicians were elected to Parliament by the democratic votes of the people. Imagine how they would feel if the person who came second came along and demanded another vote because they thought they should win instead?

Just look at Tony Blair, the Archangel and advocate of the EU. Has that man forgotten standing on a ticket in Sedgfield that declared he was all for getting out of Europe? In 1983 he said: “We’ll negotiate a withdrawal from the EEC which has drained our natural resources and destroyed jobs.”

Now he advocates we vote for anyone who is anti-Brexit. How can a man like that be trusted? Do politicians change their minds like the change in the weather? If a politician cannot stand for something, they will fall for anything.

Sadly, I really believe that politicians will never win back the trust and confidence of the people. Things have gone too far for that. The political system in Britain is broken and the professional politicians are the ones responsible.

Over the last 30 years, the political class across Europe have eroded democracy with their cash for questions. They suck up to multinational companies, trade unions, global bankers and billionaires. The majority of decent people are sick of it. Those hard-working, responsible MPs have sadly been tarred with the same brush.

Since the economic crisis in 2007-2008, trust in the EU, national governments and national legislatives alike has plummeted to record lows.

We no longer live in hierarchical societies where the population did not question those in power. With the advent of social media, the misrule of politicians can be questioned more than ever. People are no longer frightened to hold to account those who were once thought of as their betters.

There is a very dangerous and worrying side to a society that has lost trust in politics and politicians. As in Germany in the 1930s, when the political class loses the consent of the people, extreme forces can begin to manipulate the electorate.

The lack of a meaningful Brexit has brought us to a toxic place in British politics. It is a volatile situation that not even the great saviour Corbyn can rescue us from. An uncrossable chasm is opening up between the people and Parliament.

Half the country hate the fact that we are not really leaving the EU, while the other half hate the fact we are not really staying. We are a divided nation and politicians cannot fix it.

All around there are voices calling in the wilderness with messages of division and intolerance. In times of crisis, people look for strong leaders with loud voices that can rally the masses.

On the far left and right there are those waiting to step into the political void and reconnect the public to politics.

Last weekend, some politicians said they were fearful for their safety and that they were worried when they returned to their constituencies.

Sadly, I think they are right to be afraid. Through their gerrymandering, they have brought politics to a point that I believe will lead to violence. The historical troubles in Ireland may become Britain’s troubles of the future.

GP Taylor is an author and writer from North Yorkshire