Ros Coward in The Guardian explains how character flaws in our politicians helped the Brexit vote.
The consensus about the Brexit result is that it expressed resentment
about how politicians had driven forward social changes without the
consent of the affected communities. While this is part of the reason, it was helped along by misjudgements based on
the character flaws of the leaders.
Tony Blair’s
hubris about the Middle East discredited his centre-left politics.
The fratricidal competitiveness of Ed Milliband helped to deprive Labour of victory and a platform to rebuild the
centre-left.
Nick Clegg’s abandonment of the student fees pledge, his 'class chemistry' with David Cameron and his evident liking for his
position caused him to massively disappoint his voters – a move that in
effect wiped out the Liberal Democrats.
Cameron was left unchallenged except by his own right wing. His
laziness and lack of attention to detail made him supremely confident about the referendum, relying on electoral “reasonableness”.
After Cameron's resignation, Michael Gove and Boris Johnson seemed to be more concerned with becoming Prime Minister, with delusions about their own strategic cleverness. Johnson reflected the popular mood, echoing and manipulating the popular press, and got the
result he almost certainly didn’t want. His stricken face on Brexit
morning suggested he had really sought to be the “unifying” leader in a
close Remain vote. Gove’s downfall came from opportunism, disloyalty,
and an overestimation of his ability to outmanoeuvre Johnson.
What of the future? Theresa May is a secretive and
controlling prime minister in charge of the biggest team of negotiators
to be assembled since the 1945 peace conferences. For a negotiation
unwanted by a significant proportion of the electorate, who need to be
won over, it doesn’t inspire confidence. Jeremy Corbyn's vanity stopped him from turning down the
leadership, a position for which he was clearly unsuited. We need
leaders who can see the wider picture. Policies are vital, but character
is more important than ever. Start worrying.
Source: People voted Brexit, but Cameron, Blair and other flawed leaders made it possible by Ros Coward in The Guardian, 28 Dec. 2016.
