Like or loathe her, Margaret Thatcher would’ve been clear about Brexit unlike Theresa May
The Iron Lady would have also resolutely reminded the agitating metropolitan elite that 17.4million voted to Leave and, as PM of a democracy, it’s her job to deliver on that result.
IF Britain’s first female Prime Minister was a lady not for turning, what will be the historic mantra associated with our second?
The lady’s not for learning?
On Monday, while urging her to resign, this newspaper laid out Theresa May’s admirable qualities of resilience and being a “dedicated public servant with an unshakeable sense of duty”, yada yada yada.
All of which make her a shoo-in as one of life’s admirably thorough and dependable deputies.
But as Britain hurtles towards the precipice of the original March 29 EU exit date in a driverless car, can we all now agree that a leader she is not?
She’s lost the dressing room, support staff and spectators.
Will Brexit — whatever lame, watered-down version it now is — happen?
I don’t know and anyone who tells you they do is talking baloney. So indulge me for a few moments and step into my time machine. Imagine that it’s June 24, 2016, the day after this country’s historic vote to leave the EU and, with artistic licence, that Margaret Thatcher is in charge.
Like her or loathe her, what would Maggie in her heyday have done?
Well, for starters, she would have harboured, and probably displayed with gusto, a healthy mistrust for the likes of Juncker, Macron et al, treating them as favoured yet potentially naughty boys who might need bringing to heel at any moment.
STIRRING SPEECH
She would have known full well it was in their interests for Britain’s exit from the EU to fail miserably on the basis that success might encourage others to follow our lead.
With that, and a very clear mandate from 17.4million of the electorate in mind, she would have made a stirring speech about how the Brits love their continental neighbours and still consider themselves to be European . . . And then would come the all-important . . . “but” that’s crucial to any successful negotiation.
After which she would have made it patently clear that, while our love of Europe remains undiminished, our love of the EU — an important distinction that ardent Remainers wilfully ignore in their bid to paint the referendum result as xenophobic — has withered on the vine.
In other words, the relationship with Brussels is over but we would like to remain firm friends.
And finally, she would have pointed out, in characteristically strong terms, that the ball was now in the EU’s court as to whether to play nice or not.
But just in case they didn’t, the nation that managed to invent tanks, steam engines, lawnmowers, hovercrafts, the saline drip, fire extinguishers, telephones, vacuums, hypnotism, disc brakes, colour photography, bouncing bombs, slide rules, sewing machines, radar (to name but a few) long before the EU was even a twinkle in its founding fathers’ eyes, would make sure that it was prepared for all eventualities in the future.
Including just crashing out with absolutely no deal whatsoever.
And that if that happened, she would make it perfectly clear for the rest of time that any short-term chaos for Britain and the rest of Europe would be laid at the door of those in the EU who were given the chance to facilitate a smooth transition for all but refused to take it.
ABJECT FAILURE
How would that go down with, say, the German and French car manufacturers who need to trade with us as much we need to trade with them?
As for all those getting very excited about the comparatively paltry number of Remainers who attended the anti-Brexit march in London at the weekend, Maggie would have resolutely reminded the agitating metropolitan elite that 17.4million voted to Leave and, as PM of a democracy, it’s her job to deliver on that result.
Simple really.
Sadly, back in the real world, the PM we can’t seem to shake off has snatched defeat from the jaws of a clear mandate for victory.
And whatever her strong points may be, her legacy will be one of abject failure to deliver.
Logic of bringing up baby
FORMER footballer and Celeb Big Brother star Jermaine Pennant says he and wife Alice Goodwin had a brief separation over Christmas after falling out over baby plans.
In short, he wanted to start a family but 33-year-old Alice wanted to wait and, after an explosive row, they unfollowed each other on social media which – saints preserve us – is seemingly the modern-day equivalent of marital Armageddon.
The couple have since reunited, but perhaps this hiccup should act as a salutary lesson to anyone thinking of getting married.
Have the “do you want children and when?” conversation before you skip down the aisle.
Bring your child to work day
WHILE his peers were still in bed or playing Fortnite – or whatever it is 12-year-old boys do these days – young Peter Rees-Mogg was attending the Brexit crisis talks at Chequers with his father Jacob.
Er, why?
Last time I looked, it wasn’t “bring your child to work day”, and given the other five Rees-Mogglets weren’t in attendance, presumably it wasn’t a childcare crisis that necessitated his presence.
There can only be one explanation: He was there to throw in his school cap for a leadership challenge.
Let’s face it, he’d doubtless do a better job than the current one.
Porn pic promise
REVENGE porn victim Sophia Ankel has courageously waived her right to anonymity to highlight her call for it to be treated as sexual abuse.
“Many people choose to share images of themselves when they want to. What they do not choose to do is to have them passed on to others for the purpose of humiliation, revenge or control,” she says.
She’s absolutely right, of course.
But in the meantime, with three daughters of varying ages, I will continue to tell them that the sole guarantee that explicit photos of them won’t turn up on the internet is to not pose for them in the first place.
— A SURVEY has shown that only five per cent of teenagers are interested in pursuing a job in science. And yet the national curriculum still forces all 14 to 16-year-olds to take compulsory chemistry/physics/biology – or variations thereof – while having to drop other subjects they might enjoy and therefore do better in. Where’s the scientific logic in that?
'I felt crap'
STRICTLY pro Karen Clifton wept on Instagram after being turned away from a barber shop that refused to cut her hair because she’s a woman.
“I felt crap. I’ve never experienced this.
“It’s not right,” she sobbed.
Never mind a haircut, getting a life might be advisable first.
Chloe's 'crying'
THIS, apparently, is Chloe Sims “crying” on Towie.
Except it’s hard to tell, because she’s had so much Botox and fillers that her face is virtually incapable of movement.
MOST READ IN OPINION
What are these young women doing to themselves?
And why do they all seem hell-bent on turning into Sophia from the Dolmio family?
Stop. It. Now.
— EDVARD MUNCH’S famous painting The Scream is widely regarded as depicting someone mid-shriek.
But now, experts at the British Museum claim it shows someone hearing a scream.
Either way, it’s a pretty good impersonation of me returning from a week’s holiday to discover we’re still having the same bloody conversation about Brexit.