This morning Britain’s High Court ruled that the government must consult the British Parliament before invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, beginning Britain’s exit from the European Union.
The ruling is wrapped in irony. The irony of a High Court still subservient to Brussels demanding than an un-sovereign parliament, which Brexiteers wish to be sovereign, vote on whether that Court remains subservient or not, while we Leave campaigners fear the actions of the parliament we want to be sovereign.
Now the establishment is narrowing the path to Brexit, with the early 2017 timetable hanging in the balance. I believe we may be on the cusp of something we haven’t seen in our country in many decades: en masse direct action.
We know the anti-establishment side can do it. Remember the Iraq War protests, or the march against the fox hunting ban?
WHY?
The government promised to implement the will of the people. And the very definition of a referendum is that it is a vote by the general public which has been referred to them for a “direct decision”.
Taken together, this would in the minds of most sane people be regarded as direct democratic action which therefore supersedes Parliament. For what is Parliament if not the representatives of the people? And if the people have been consulted directly, then why should Parliament opine?
Why should Parliamentarians, be they Commoners or Lords, be handed, ex post facto, a greater say in a direct referendum than the average voter?
This is why today’s ruling by Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas, Sir Terence Etherton, and Lord Justice Sales is simply judicial activism of the worst kind.
WHO?
It is clear from today’s pictures that one of the men behind this court action is Charlie Mullins, the owner of Pimlico Plumbers and all round “flash git“.
He was brought into the ‘Leave’ campaign fold by Matthew Elliott and Vote Leave under false pretences – as reported by Breitbart London – and now may be exacting his revenge by supporting this court action.
But the claimant herself is a woman called Gina Miller, the founder of what looks like a chop shop investment firm in Marylebone whose endorsers including august individuals such as “Mr. D from Slough” and Remainiac journalist Tim Walker.
Curiously, Ms. Miller’s firm SCM Private reported a half a million pound loss last year, up from a quarter of a million pound loss the year before.
Perhaps… just perhaps… we shouldn’t be listening to people who lose money hand over fist for what is best for the British economy.
NOW WHAT?
The government has promised to challenge the ruling in the (un)Supreme Court (more of that irony). But at this point who trusts the government or its lawyers to perform the basic task of informing the court that the referendum itself was supreme?
Supreme over the government, over parliament, and indeed over the judiciary.
If the judiciary cannot, or refuses to see that, then the British public may well revoke its consent to be governed by Parliament and have its laws interpreted by the judiciary. And that starts with taking to the streets and demonstrating our frustrations.
If that doesn’t work, then just a few million quid would be enough to campaign against and effectively remove many Remain MPs in Parliament. If UKIP isn’t up to the challenge – which I suspect it may not be – then it will be up to us, the people, to crowdfund this cash and get it done ourselves.
Taking on the money of people like Charlie Mullins, the activism of the judiciary, and the ineptitude of the government won’t be easy. But if we do not show our teeth now, we will forever be taken for granted and oppressed.
Get ready for the fight.