Archaic, authoritarian, unequal to the challenge – parliament is broken | Neal Ascherson

The Brexit shambles exposes the weaknesses of Westminster, which have grown starker since the 1998 devolution settlement

After every shattering bungle, some PR creep says: “Lessons have been learned and appropriate changes put in place.” Well, and British Brexit? What lessons, and what hope for changes?

There’s one obvious lesson which Westminster, despite centuries of dire experience, still fails to learn. Do not kick Irish cans down the road. Some contain Semtex. All have a way of rolling back and tripping you up. There’s an English habit of not thinking about Ireland lest it spoil a nice afternoon. If David Cameron had thought of the British border in Ireland, he would have called his referendum off. But he kicked Arlene Foster and two Irish taoiseachs down the road. Now British politics lies sprawling on that same hard tarmac.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2WBk9hG