Thoughts

"The country has spoken"

No doubt we will hear that over and over again from our Prime Minister. And it has, though in a rather strangulated whisper thanks to the distortions of our political system.

A gain of 1.2% of the vote share, to a total of 43.6%*, has given the Conservative party a sizeable majority.

Pro-Remain/pro-second-referendum parties had a total vote share of 49%.

Is the country's voice really that clear?

I would say that it isn't, but also that it doesn't matter. There is a large majority in the House of Commons to push through Conservative policies, and there's nothing I can do to change that.

On the other hand, do we have any idea what the Prime Minister actually thinks or believes? He has a long and varied history of lying, and has carefully made sure he made few concrete promises during this election campaign. I genuinely have no idea if he has any beliefs, or ideologies, that extend beyond himself. I fear the unknown of a Johnson leadership, as much as I fear the known of Conservative policies of cutting public spending, cutting taxes for the wealthy and selling our public services to the highest bidder.

I held BigBear and LittleBear in bed this morning as I felt sick and tired and I promised them both that we could still try to make the world around us a better place. Whoever is in power, I can still choose, every day, to try to help those less fortunate than myself. I can try to make positive changes in my life that protect the environment, that ease suffering, that bring light to other people's lives. I cannot change the policies of the government; I cannot increase funding for schools or libraries or hospitals or the police or legal aid or social housing or welfare.

I feel sad, angry and depressed that we have a Prime Minister who is a known liar, racist and homophobe.

I feel sad, angry and depressed that we have elected politicians who have expressed some truly horrible views on race and religion.

I feel sad, angry and depressed at the racism and populism I now see around me on a regular basis.

I feel sad, angry and depressed that we are now destined to leave the EU under whatever terms the Conservatives now choose, with no brakes upon their ambition.

But I will fight to be true to my own values of compassion, empathy, support and love. I will be the person I want the world to have.

It's the only thing I can do.



* The small percentage change in vote share has increased the number of Conservative seats from 298 to 364.
1.2% gain in votes is a 12% gain in seats.
43.6% of the vote has translated to 56% of the seats.