As it looks increasingly likely that Theresa May’s propensity to kick the can as far down the road as possible will continue for the immediate future, this means the UK will have to take part in this year’s elections to the European Parliament. So the parties have begun to make their pitches to the electorate, and among their number is Change UK, or as it would like to be known, Change UK - The Independent Group.
The new [redacted] logo
Which makes it the CUKTIG or even CHUKTIG Party, hardly a snappy title. The logo is even worse, with Ian Dunt taking one look and concluding “That logo is legitimately fucking bonkers. It reads like nonsense. It looks like a printer error”. But what about the policy offer it will put before the British people? Well, that’s not so brilliant, either.
According to the BBC report on their launch, “Interim leader Heidi Allen told the event in Bristol: ‘These elections are a chance to send the clearest possible message - we demand a People's Vote and the right to campaign to remain in the European Union. We are not afraid to say it as clearly as that … This is no rebel alliance. This is the home of the Remain alliance.’” No, it is A home of Remain support, not THE home.
Because, as the Beeb also points out, “BBC political correspondent Nick Eardley says Change UK want to be the number one choice for those unhappy with Brexit … But he said it would not be easy because plenty of other more established parties - namely the Lib Dems, the Greens, the SNP and Plaid Cymru - will be making a similar pitch”. Also, Labour has a second referendum and a route to Remain in its approach.
Even taking the most sympathetic view of their pitch, CUKTIG is not offering anything that existing parties are already offering. Worse, when it comes to offering themselves up to their respective electorates, they aren’t pro-change at all. They fail the change litmus test. As Tim Shipman of the Murdoch Sunday Times has confirmed, “Heidi Allen makes clear that Change UK won’t vote against May in a confidence motion. Anyone would think the TIGers believe they would lose their seats. Still, a glimmer of good news for the PM”.
Nor will any of them resign in order to force a by-election, and stand as a TIGger, a CHUKTIG, or whatever their preferred acronym might be. Small wonder that Ash Sarkar has concluded “We’re the new upstart innovators, Change UK! Standing for a new kind of politics, a different way of doing thi-“ … “Like a new government?” … “lol fuck no.” To which Kerry-Anne Mendoza added “Should have called themselves Status Quo”.
It’s becoming more and more obvious that Change UK is a name rather like the Taxpayers’ Alliance (not an alliance of taxpayers), the Global Warming Policy Foundation (not about global warming policy), or the Renewable Energy Foundation (not about renewable energy). Or perhaps it’s like Big Brother Watch, which is only about some big brothers who may be watching - there might be some change, but just how much they won’t say.
I'll name that tune in one
It was said of the early-80s SDP that it was mostly a media creation, even though it had several political heavyweights behind it. Change UK has no political heavyweights behind it, and is as close to 100% a media creation as makes no difference.
The only change it will accomplish is being wiped out at the ballot box. End of story.
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