Last week I showed photos and tried to make a case for directionless travel but never touched on the two big issues in the UK: Brexit and why, given the circumstances, is Labour not in power?

These questions were not ignored; I just am having a hard time understanding where my questions lead. I suppose that mirrors, in a way, the dilemma the UK faces over Brexit. So instead I will just note a few thoughts below.

Brexit

In France: Effectively I speak no French. I asked anyone with a remote semblance of English what he or she thought of the UK leaving the EU. Basically the response seems to me to have been, so what? It’s their choice and their problem to deal with.

In listening to and reading statements by the Tories it is clear the pro-Brexit group (hard or soft with it’s vaguely sexual connotations) simply don’t understand this, so they keep rabbitting on in their internal and public debate that the EU needs to come up with counter proposals, as if this leaving-thing was some sort of negotiation. The EU, or at least the French I spoke to, seem to be saying – you wanted to leave and while we are open to listening to your ideas for the EU’s relationship with the UK, leave. This is not to say that if the UK held another vote and voted to remain the EU would not welcome the development. The Brexiters who want the UK to be able/responsible for making its own actions don’t see the irony in their demand for EU participation.

A short talk with the North Devon Jag-driving taxi driver made it all quite clear when he said UK didn’t need to do anything, as the EU needed the money and would cave in. Not bloody likely, I think.

Up in London, about as much like the UK as SF, NYC and LA are like much of the US, the general mood seems to be there should be another vote, we don’t know what’s going to happen but the government (Tories) seem hell bent on jumping off a cliff but can’t figure out which one offers a better view on the way down.

In the past the big issue was the Irish border and what effect reestablishing an actual border might have on the peace agreements. This time around there is a bit of talk about uniting the two, although I have no idea of how serious that talk is. As well I have seen mention of having the UK/EU border run through the North Channel effectively leaving Northern Ireland as part of the EU. A position not supported by the rightwing Irish DUP giving the Tories their hold on power, thus rending the idea dead in the water, so to speak.

This last week May’s Chequers proposal, supposedly the UK’s last final, best offer to the EU was rudely discounted by the EU, France’s Macron, and Tory “hard” Brexiters.

However, during the ten days I was in England, the “remain” folks have picked up and expanded on the government’s own acknowledgment of the “supply chain” issues leaving represents. The Guardian ran a piece about English oysters being eaten in French restaurants because currently they are harvested, packed, shipped and on the diner’s Paris table in less than a half day. Without open trade borders the same oysters could take two weeks what with delays at the border for paperwork, inspections, and testing. Effectively killing the market. The same issues arise for multiple products, including manufacturing parts and medicines.

A story related to me was about one law firm enjoying a bumper time consulting with banks who want to move base to Ireland – still in the EU, English-speaking, offering open borders, open movement for workers and a lower cost of living than London.

Everyone I spoke with is uncertain. All would like to see a second vote on Brexit but only one person I know thinks it will happen, perhaps as part of a three way vote on whatever deal comes out after meetings in November offering the choices of Yes, No, and Stay.

But positions are in a fluid place and so it is not surprising that today, as I write this, the Guardian is reporting from the Labour Conference that Labour is prepared to vote down May’s final deal because of concerns over worker’s rights and environmental issues. They are willing to listen to calls for a second referendum.

The Labour Party and why the Tories are still in power

Why the Tories are still in power is perhaps for the same reason Theresa May remains in power. With the deadline only six months away, no one wants to be holding the bag when it all finally goes south. As a reason, it has some logic for me, but it is impossible to ignore the open warfare within the Labour Party.

Again this is really beyond my understanding given all that is going on and the stakes involved but I did talk to a number of friends, about 20 or so. One supports Brexit and is, I think, a likely Tory. Of the others, all but four are as perplexed as I am. Where exactly does Corbyn stand? Not sure? Are the constant charges of anti-Semitism leveled at the Left of the party true or a Trojan horse by the more centrist forces to rest power back from Corbyn and the Left? Don’t know, certainly possible.

Of the four, the breakdown is thus:

A friend from the Left is a supporter of Corbyn, one hundred percent. He points out that since Corbyn became head of the Labour Party, 500,000 new members have joined. He thinks Corbyn has good leadership skills and is handling both the challenge issues and the anti-Semitism issues effectively.

From a person I don’t know but met during the memorial for our mutual friend: He too pointed to the massive group of new members in the Labour Party, the Left taking over the reins of the Labour Party’s ruling committee as proof that Corbyn was in fact doing a good and effective job. For him there was no doubt that the charges of anti-Semitism were a Trojan horse. I don’t know this person’s politics or party but everyone at the memorial actively works on campaigns such as “Save Our Hospitals”.

An old friend, I think it is safe to say, hates Corbyn. When Corbyn was first elected head of Labour, my friend said it was an act of suicide by Labour and would led to total defeat in the coming elections. It didn’t. His position currently is Corbyn is actually a supporter of leaving (he appears to be, at best, a fence sitter) and is truly anti-Semitic.

The last is not opposed to positions laid out by Corbyn or the Left, but believes that there is an element, perhaps including Corbyn himself, who are anti-Semitic and this is a problem that must be dealt with before moving forward is possible.

One thing all but the Brexit supporter agreed on was it was and will be a disaster.

A small selection of articles on the issue of Labour and anti-Semitism: The Observer as well as Jacobin, The Guardian, the New York Times (here and here).

.

And now one last word on directionless travel

At one point in my life I tried treasure hunting, which in fact turned into salvage diving. However my recent traveling reminded me of an old saying about treasure hunters and why they keep at it: the fear is you are only one day away from finding the destination (or the treasure) and if you stick it out, well …

That and a SciFi book (or perhaps a Twilight Zone episode) I read once in elementary school about a man on the train ride to his dreams who is given a stop watch so he can stop time when he reaches his destination. Realizing, just as the train is about to reach its destination, that the joy in is getting there, he stops the watch.

Research before going is good but the real joy for me is making mistakes along the way to finding a great place on my own.

And so a few more photos because I’m a co-editor and I can.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

. . .