A new form of journalism seems to be on offer today. Journalists seem prepared to ask people what they think about Brexit, and even, if necessary discard some myths and hopes:
Boris Johnson remains the “hardest in the room” in his unwillingness to budge to secure a Brexit deal, government insiders said this weekend, amid warnings that just days remain to finalise an agreement....the departure of Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s senior adviser, and Lee Cain, his communications chief, would not change the fact that Johnson himself remained determined and hard to read....“The prime minister is always the hardest in the room on Brexit – more so than perhaps other ministers and advisers,” said a senior Whitehall source.
There seem to be no splits to rely upon, imminent revolts or pillow pressure from C Symonds
this is one issue where the cabinet is completely united – like no other policy,” said a person familiar with the deliberations. “[After the election], the prime minister has a lot of political capital on this.”
As usual, Lord Farage (for soon it must surely be) seems to have a presence if only 'in being';
there are also huge political pressures on Johnson, with some fearing that any sign of Brexit compromise will create yet another opening for Nigel Farage and his new Reform UK party.
A 'donor' is cited and credited with complex if not contradictory views:
“It’s the end of the fellowship. The fact is [Cummings and Cain] are leaving before the end, which tells you they’re not going to get the deal that they want. Boris is now in a hard place, as he wants to deal at any price.”...
Rather unllike the earlier estimate then. And after that:
The donor added: “I would walk away [from Brexit talks]. There isn’t a lot to lose from doing that, given the deal on offer is essentially only for the traded goods sector. It does nothing for our large services sector anyway.”
Downing Street denies the departures mean a Brexit deal, and compromise with the EU, are now more likely.
In the absence of strong politico/moral commitment, the reporter seems rather confused about how things fit together -- now at least. He was pretty pro Remain before? So we turn to the editorial:
[D Cummings'] tenures at Vote Leave and then in Johnson’s No 10 have seen some hail him as a strategic genius: they point to the EU referendum win and Johnson’s 80-seat majority. What this narrative fails to take into account is that liberally borrowing from the populism playbook – by making misleading promises to voters and capitalising on people’s legitimate concerns by deploying racist dogwhistles while having no constructive solutions to offer – makes winning so much easier, particularly in the face of an unappealing opposition....Cummings will always be associated with electoral deceit and implicit racism.
This is lovely. Culture warriors condemning culture wars now they have lost:
In government, Cummings has helped Johnson spearhead a toxic culture war: ministers briefing that the government would invest in “wave machines” to capsize more boats in the Channel [source? Why not a magic ray gun?], even as desperate asylum seekers, including children, drowned in its freezing waters; picking fights with anti-racism campaigners in the wake of George Floyd’s murder; virtue-signalling [!] against “political correctness” by waging war on the BBC over Last Night at the Proms [where culture warriors and virtue-signallers had tried to stop people singing Rule Britannia, it will be recalled. The link to the item is still worth following]
it may be tempting to view Cummings’ departure in the broader context of a return to civility in politics, just a week after Joe Biden so decisively [sic] beat Donald Trump, there is no cause for optimism yet. Johnson has already revealed his true character as a charlatan, devoid of principle, happy to say what it takes to win.
Thank God for the old certainties to cut through all the puzzling and worrying uncertainty. We have here the classic narrative of 'prime knowledge', characteristic of televangelism -- all is dark, all is uncertain in the 'news' , but one light shines through in the 'comments'.
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