Brexit

We spent all day yesterday, 9:30-5:30, at Queen’s University at a conference on what Brexit means for progressive politics. Here’s the description:

"What are the implications and imapcts of Brexit for the green transformation of Europe? Are there progressive political potentials in the wake of the referendum decision in the UK last June and the on-going political turmoil it has created? How should greens and other progressives understand the rise of populism across Europe? And what are the likely impacts of Brexit for the island of Ireland? This one-day workshop will explore these and related issues under the 4 themed panels below.”

There were 16 speakers. It was exhausting. And informative. In a tiny nutshell:
The decision on whether, and how, to integrate EU law into UK law is up to the minister of each department. i.e. one person makes that decision with no accountability and no input.
The exploitation of the border region--site of gold mines, gravel mines, illegal dumps--has accelerated. Northern Ireland’s local councils grant mineral rights permission with no input from residents and no accountability.
The disputes between the two parties representing nationalists and unionists are at their most acrimonious in over a decade.

In other words, not a lot of good news.
Here’s a photo of the altar in the church we visited yesterday.

The DUP is controlled by evangelicals--good Christians all. Would that they could see the need to lead in the interests of all of Northern Ireland’s people, rather than playing the us’ns and them’uns game so popular in colonial properties. The religious divisions mask so much--so many things that are more important than their personal views about God. The decline of the NHS, destruction of bogs and mountains in pursuit of precious metals, drug use and suicide among teenagers. These are things I’d focus on, not fucking flags and the Irish language. Northern Ireland’s devolved government has not been sitting since January, when a scandal over out-of-control subsidies was revealed. Sinn Fein is holding out for an Irish language act because, you know, THAT’s important. The lack of leadership here is hardly unique, look at Trump. It’s just frightening that, when thoughtful, careful leadership has never been more needed, we are surrounded by bomb throwers and tinder.
10-30