Devon for Europe took their ‘democracymeter’ to the centre of Newton Abbot, gauging public opinion on the state of affairs in Westminster before going on to deliver a letter to the constituency MP, Anne Marie Morris, asking her to support calls for a general election.
Newton Abbot has always been a tough gig, and the Devon for Europe volunteers turned up in a state of some trepidation. They were pleasantly surprised as it quickly became apparent that feelings about the government were running quite high and that people were keen to make those feelings felt.
In just 60 minutes, the board filled up, with the sticker survey indicating a high degree of commonality in the views polled. Yes, there were a few dyed-in-the-wool Brexit believers, determined to shut their ears and eyes to all evidence that conflicted with their world view, and, sad to say, spitting venom over the ‘invasion’ of immigrants to our ‘absolutely full’ island.
It is very hard to maintain equanimity in the face of this bile, delivered with real hatred. There’s no arguing with them. Their minds cannot be changed; but then, neither can ours!
I explained to one person that asylum seekers get £40 odd a week on which to live. “No they don’t” he retorted, red-faced with fury. “They get that every day. They get more than that every day. And we get nothing.” Sigh. The gutter press have a lot to answer for .
“I hate those three-word slogans – “Get Brexit Done”, “Bring Back Boris” and all that…’ one man said, as he plonked his stickers down emphatically. ‘But I’ve got one for you, one I would get behind: “Bring Back Braincells“.
Arguably, it was that confidence in the intellectual superiority of Remain that contributed to getting us into this mess in the first place, but it is hard not to feel that he has a point! Truth and facts have been in short supply under this government and it is only now, more than six years in, that the Brexit elephant in the room is even being mentioned by the BBC, for example. Hey ho.
There are no two ways about it: the ugly face of Britain has been emboldened by Brexit and by Farage, Patel, Braverman, etc. It’s very sad. Very worrying. Thank goodness for all those people who came up to say thank you for getting out there and telling it like it is.
