Flexible sovereignty

The latest in a series of arguments about Parliamentary sovereignty today in the Guarndia by Nicky Morgan ( unmourned Sec of State for Ed under Cameron who wanted to force all secondary schools to move to academy status).

No-one really knows what Parliamentary sovereignty in the UK means because we have no written constitution, but it is widely regarded as a Good Thing. Brexiteers wanted it because it would mean we were no longer subject to EU law (one reason I voted for Breexit). Now Remainers want it because it would enable a Parliamentary vote on triggering Article 50, which they hope would check the Government's intention to simply go ahead using its executive power. Morgan is one of several who were not impressed by the Brexit demand for Parlimanentary sovereignty as opposed to the EU, but now wants it to oppose the Government. And vice versa for the Brexiters, it should be said.

Scots Nats also play it both ways. They insist that their Referendum results justify staying in the EU, so 'the people of Scotland' are sovereign. But they want Parliamentary votes in the UK as a whole so the UK people as a whole are not sovereign.

The whole issue could be discussed much more effectively via some well-known bits of political theory --but we don't do theory in the UK (well, we did, via people like JS Mill, but we don't now).

Meanwhile, the Great White Hope of the Graun is trotted out once again --the Liberals will save us argues John Harris. The Lib Dems did quite well in the bye-election in Whitney caused by Cameron's resignation. A poll suggests that any party arguing for stopping Brexit would gain a good proportion of votes, more than Labour. So -- the Lib Dems could sweep into power as the party that opposes Brexit, a second referendum would be announced, luvvies would win, peace and cheap strawberries would ensue for ever.

Meanwhile again, the Graun reports that grouse moors receive substanbtial subsidies from the  EU's Common Agricultural Policy. Luvvies must be upset because they hate the upper classes as much as the working classes. What could be worse, Nissan has decided to stay in the UK and even invest more in their Sunderland plant, despite saying they would think of leaving if there was Brexit. Pundits were very shocked by Sunderland voting for Leave -- poor L Kuenssberg's face! 

And the economy has grown by 0.5% in the last quarter. Luvvies have to report these news items -- even Newsnight -- but they immediately look for foul play somewhere, some promised subsidy for Nissan for example,some denial that there is real growth. 

Even if there were a subsidy, this shows that the UK Government can plan its own industrial strategy (new buzzword for Tories), of course. What did the luvvies think? -- that Government would or could not intervene to remedy any post-EU problems, but would spend its time wishing none of it had happened?

Why, we could even renationalise the railways (popular with the public) or establish a State investment bank (both formerly dismissed as utopian -- because the EU would prevent them!)