The Words That Could Define A Decade

Often politicians are criticised for reducing complex arguments into soundbites or religosly repeating catchphrases instead of engaging with the questions of the day. Arguably, however, this method is incredibly successful you only have to look at the large influx of Tory MPs to Westminster as evidence. Get Brexit Done was the phrase of the election. It was parroted around the country. It didn’t make a value judgement on Brexit, it wasn’t meant to, all it was there to do was assure voters that Brexit could be completed, and we could move on with our lives and our society. 

Now Boris has the opportunity to rebrand, to leave beside the phrases of previous Conservative governments and if he gets the messaging right, even their woeful track records.  Just as Tony Blair before him created New Labour promising a new vision for a new millennium, Boris looks to create a new unifying political language for the decade ahead. 

 We have two new phrases that are being dusted off for public consumption. Expect to hear them more and more in the new year; ‘The People’s Government’ and ‘One Nation Conservatism’.

These attempts can sometimes falter before they even begin, remember David Cameron’s Big Society, the word austerity wouldn’t have crossed their minds at Conservative HQ when that one was thought up.  Similarly, it would seem, Boris is quite off the mark with his messaging already. 

One Nation Conservatism speaks to the idea that Conservative Government is here for all the people of the UK, the big happy family of nations in Westminster. This is clearly untrue from the outset. The SNP  won a thumping majority in Scotland where Boris’ campaign seemed to be resolutely rejected by the electorate. But at least in Scotland, there was the option to support this manifesto. The Conservatives did not have an electoral pact with either the UUP or DUP and the Northern Ireland Conservatives attested only 4 seats. It has no elected representatives in any of Northern Ireland’s 18 Constituencies.  It won only 5,443 across Northern Ireland.  How can Boris claim his Conservatism is One Nation when it is so roundly rejected and in some cases won’t even contest to be elected? It is a fabrication that will surely fall apart in the coming year with nationalist voices in Northern Ireland and Scotland being bolstered by the election results. 

  As for The People’s Government, this is a dangerous phrase that exposes Boris’ more malicious nature and may come back to bite him.  The phrase immediately brings to mind authoritarian regimes such as the People’s Republic of China. Closer to home it also conjures illusions to the toxic debate in the UK  around Brexit where the Daily Mail branded High Court Judges as ‘Enemies of The People.’ Boris has already been roundly criticised for using incendiary language on multiple occasions.  Can he really resist using his self proclaimed mantle of the People’s Government to lambast his opponents in the future? I suspect not.

This doesn’t even touch on the idea that actually every MP is there to represent the people of their constituency. The governments opposition is as much the voice of the people it’s government. The people do not speak as one voice. This is what democracy represents. ‘The People’s Government’ phrase shows a spectacular ignorance over the constitutional crises that has recently gripped our country.  Despite Boris ostensible intentions to unify, this phrase could be the hammer that finally  fractures our nation beyond repair.