Defending democracy - My first ever protest

To be honest, it wasn’t much of a protest.  Fifty or so people, a smattering of Lib Dem conference delegates and a few dogs gathered in the sunshine around half a dozen fluttering EU flags.  There were a few feeble chants of ‘This is what democracy looks like!’  Three or four speakers made rambling speeches.  And the ‘march’ through the town centre gardens was more of an uncoordinated, leisurely stroll in the sunshine.

I nearly didn’t take part.  When I arrived, the turnout was so disappointing that I sat on a bench watching a few more late-comers arrive and contemplating a late breakfast somewhere instead.  This matters though, I realised – perhaps more than anything else I’ve ever believed in – and I want to stand up and be counted.  So I clapped as the speakers took their turns, admiring them for having the courage to take the mic when I wouldn’t, and I handed out ‘Brexit is breaking Britain’ leaflets as we ambled toward the seafront.  

I was nervous about joining my first ever protest – fearful of other people’s reaction, and that fear wasn’t entirely unfounded.  As we handed out leaflets, the anger, hostility and rudeness of some Leavers was shocking – all older people, shouting, pointing, swearing, jabbing their middle fingers.  Scarily, it wasn’t difficult to imagine these confrontations becoming violent.

I understand the frustration of those finger-jabbing Leavers who were so angry at our protest yesterday.  They have been massively let down.  Three years on from the referendum, it’s patently obvious that Brexit isn’t as easy as they were told it would be.  It turned out that the politicians who won it had no plan for actually delivering on their promises and still have no plan.  And they were given a date for Brexit that has proved unachievable.

I posted on Facebook that I was taking part in my first ever protest to defend democracy.  How could I claim such a thing, I was asked, if I also advocated ignoring the result of the 2016 referendum.  I understand the point, which is why I want to respect that result.  I voted remain, I was desperately sorry to be in the minority, I’m cynical about people’s reasons for voting Leave, but a majority’s a majority; that’s British democracy for you.  If a good deal can be done with the EU that enables us to leave whilst maintaining a close, positive relationship with our European neighbours, I will sadly accept it.

There must be a deal, however.  Back in 2016, we were told it would be easy to get one; the possibility (wherever you put it on the probability scale) of terrible disruption and economic catastrophe resulting from a no-deal Brexit is too great a risk to take; and the view that we should just take the hit and get it over and done with ignores the fact that the hit could be dreadful, it still won’t be over and done with and the no doubt continually acrimonious debate that will still follow about our future relationship with the EU. 

In the meantime, whilst we await Boris’ miraculous deal, Parliament ought to be doing its job, debating the detail and holding the Government to account, and the rule of law must be upheld.  Boris’ decision to suspend Parliament, his attempt to silence opposition and talk among Ministers of ignoring the law is beyond contempt.  This is not a case of ‘Parliament versus the people’, as some say; I am the people as much as any Leaver is, and I demand to be represented.  Whilst I’m not, I’ll protest for the democracy I believe in and against this appalling assault on our values.