Brexit fervour threatens strife akin to Stuart era

Speaker John Bercow’s reference to parliamentary precedent set in 1604 takes us, arguably, to the heart of the Brexit crisis (March 20). Clearly the crisis is not about rational economic arguments; the UK is already demonstrably significantly worse off. Nor is it about foreign, defence or trade issues, in none of which is there any pretence that the prospect post-Brexit is any better than the pre-Brexit status quo. It is about religion.

The Stuart era starting in 1603 saw the consolidation of the protestant monarchy after regicide, civil war and abdication and culminated with the country Tories demanding an end to Marlborough’s European campaigns against the leading Catholic nation of the day, France. Fast forward three centuries and it is the same country Tories (no prizes for guessing who) who are demanding an end to the UK membership of the EU, the modern stand-in for the Catholic Church.

There historical parallels end. Whereas in the 17th century Britain emerged as the world power on the back of conquest, commerce and science, the 21st century sees the US and China seemingly unassailable in that position.

What Brexit proposes is to swap the position of primus inter pares of the largest trading bloc on Earth, with that of an unaligned middle-ranking nation hurtling toward vassal status in respect of both the EU and the US. What seems clear also is that the current uncertainty will not be resolved any time soon. The Stuart era lasted over a century. In short, in the closing years of the second Elizabethan age, the Brexiters propose to deliver the UK back to the condition of England at the end of the first.