DeepSummary
The episode explores the chaos that unfolded in British politics after the Brexit referendum in 2016, including Boris Johnson's unlawful prorogation of Parliament, the government's mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, the partygate scandal, and the disastrous economic policies of Liz Truss's brief premiership. It discusses how this period of turmoil eroded public trust in politics and the long-term consequences for the Conservative Party.
The episode features an interview with David Garfinkel, a lifelong Conservative voter whose support for the party was shaken by the government's actions during the pandemic, particularly the revelation that Downing Street staff held parties while the rest of the country was under strict lockdown rules. Garfinkel's father died of COVID-19 in 2021, and he was unable to be with him in his final moments due to the restrictions.
As the UK approaches a general election, the episode examines the future of the Conservative Party, with some projections suggesting it could suffer its worst result in over a century. It also considers the challenges facing a potential Labour government in rebuilding public faith in politics and reversing the damage caused by years of austerity and chaos.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The period following the 2016 Brexit referendum was marked by chaos and mismanagement under successive Conservative governments.
- Major events like the COVID-19 pandemic response, partygate scandal, and disastrous economic policies severely eroded public trust in British politics.
- A lifelong Conservative voter's experience highlights the human impact of the government's actions during this turbulent era.
- The Conservative Party faces an existential crisis ahead of the general election due to a projected historic defeat.
- Rebuilding faith in politics will be a major challenge for any incoming Labour government given the scale of disillusionment.
- The period reflected a "post-truth" attitude and carelessness towards major decisions by some Conservative figures.
- Brexit was a pivotal moment that opened societal divides and normalized dishonesty in British politics according to the analysis.
- The episode portrays 14 years of Conservative rule as deeply damaging for institutions, public services and economic prosperity.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “The connecting thread, I think, throughout the whole period, beyond just the simple chaos, was a kind of carelessness about what were such serious things. They were taken so lightly, as if these are things that hardly matter, sort of breeziness.“ by Jonathan Friedland
- “I find it very difficult to vote for a party like the Tories who have accomplished nothing in 14 years. I think that's enough time to have done something. There's aspects of the Labour party that I don't feel comfortable with. And then when you look at the other parties, it's kind of like, am I just throwing a vote away to someone else? I don't know, but I'm really struggling and I think there's tens of thousands of people out there like me who are. And I just feel that that says to me something's fundamentally broken.“ by David Garfinkel
- “That's the post truth world. And I think it did grip the conservative party with what I call sometimes Brexit ism, which is a kind of magical thinking, which is things are true so long as you say they're true. So you say that putting up barriers to trade with our nearest neighbours will make us richer. Obviously, that isn't the case. But as long as you sort of close your eyes and wish very hard and you believe in Britain, we can make it true.“ by Jonathan Friedland
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Episode Information
Today in Focus
The Guardian
7/1/24