How Brexit Has Changed British Politics for Ever

In this new Federal Trust video, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the dismissal of Suella Braverman and the appointment of David Cameron. Does this represent a new political path for the Conservative Party and Rishi Sunak? Or is it simply the latest throw of the dice for a divided Party that will be reversed before Christmas?

SPEAKERS

Brendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

John Stevens Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.

ABOUT THE FEDERAL TRUST
The Federal Trust is a research institute studying regional, national, European and global levels of government. It has always had a particular interest in the European Union and Britain’s place in it. The Federal Trust has no allegiance to any political party. It is registered as a charity for the purposes of education and research.

#Brexit
#rejoineu
#braverman
#sunak

COPYRIGHT
Image of Suella Braverman (background removed by Federal Trust):
© House of Lords 2022 / photography by Roger Harris

Image of David Cameron (background removed by Federal Trust):

[russmarkham]

What the Tories really underestimated was how many voters they would lose forever because of the idiocy and treachery of supporting Brexit. They will never get those voters back.

[Kevin-lfxx]

The country has been in chaos since Brexit .

[Sjb-onxt]

What a massive snub it must be for the 350 Tory MPs that Rishi didn't choose from their ranks, chose Cameron instead.

[hemming]

I miss being able to afford an average life from working hard 😢

[johnjeanb]

John Stevens may be right about R Sunak trying to put Brexit behind (many things) where it becomes "mission impossible" is trying to show the Tory party as a competent and business-oriented party. Why? Simply because Tories have just demonstrated over and over again that the country's interests, business' interest were far far away in their priorities. Competence? Really? Would you call all the noble people that stayed 10 Downing street (Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss, Sunak competent? Hell no, the question is about the ambiguity: Crooks or Stupids?
Are British politicians (Tories of course and also Labour) trying to put Brexit behind? NO, they are trying to hide it under the carpet and the only viable future for the UK is to face frankly its past mistakes (Brexit) and correct them No hiding, no putting behind. The clock is ticking and the more time is wasted, the harder it will be.

[smoozerish]

The incredible irony is that Cameron held the Brexit referendum to stop the civil war within the conservative party, but instead, the poor economic side effects of Brexit is ripping the conservative party to shreds.
Conservatives have ceded the center ground to Labour and will not regain power again after Labour wins until they exercise the ghost of right-wing radicalism within its own ranks. This next election will be the most important election in Vrotosh politics in 50 years.

[timsimmons]

Cameron is the tory that has made me never vote tory again.

[murrayeldred]

Two serious sensible men. They should run a Government.

[akpanekpo]

Whatever Brexit has become, what astonishes me even more is the unwillingness on the part of Thatcherite cultists (like these two discussants) to acknowledge the causal connection between their economic certainties and Brexit itself.

[justsayen]

I saw a clip of a commentator asking an MP is the appointment of David Cameron like the second coming?
Essentially saying that David Cameron is Jesus coming to save the conservative Party.

[vivwindsor]

Many Brexiteers claim to be also Thatcherites, I believe that Margaret Thatcher would be horrified at the current state of the Conservative party.

I'm also sure she would have been opposed to the UK leaving the EU, yes she was very critical of the EU but I don't recall her ever suggesting we should leave.

[markwelch]

Sunak has painted himself into a corner. He's simultaneously trying to claim he's a fresh start who doesn't have any connection to the last 13 years, while also trying to act like he's the natural heir to the politics of 13 years ago

Good luck resolving that one, Rishi!

[terencemacsweeney]

Yes, I agree Sunak is struggling to try to keep his party together and the Conservatives will be hammered in a general election. However, a Starmer labour Govt will also struggle because the economic and political conditions are difficult & complex and, crucially, it does not yet have a coherent way to revive seamless trade with the EU, or some alternative policy to recover business lost.

[verttikoo]

I probably told you. Cameron started a neo nazty fart right section in the European Parliament called EFD and when Fartage came along the name changed to Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy. Cameron worked hard to get the UK out from the EU… with the help of the mister Farage or maybe Lord du Yousmellit?

[JerushaJane]

Could I ask which are the other names that John would add to Suella’s as leading the move to the right?

[finianlacy]

The problems we are facing are largely due to the unpopular and increasingly dominant federalism and financial and self governing drain that the EU/EC has become.

[lobintool]

Oh dear, I was hoping for a reasonably well thought through analysis. Instead this is just a debate about how to save the Tories skin by ignoring the the real question, which is "What have the Tories been doing for the last thirteen years and what have they got to show for it?" Trying to engineer a "Get out of Jail Free" card for them?
Do me a favour!

[Risingtide]

So this is where Waldorf and Statler have been hiding all these years. “ What a bore fest, tiresome old twaddle, rubbish, nonsense, the same tired old lines trotted out again, although there were some good arguments, some salient points I suppose, it really wasn’t that bad, an entertaining twenty minutes, you could say rather good, very good,

[elitetrancechampions]

Every signal Brexiteer has the right to feel super "Outraged" they were betrayed beyond belief weather you like them or not (I am not one but they won the vote). The Pandemic obviously didn't help either.