British-Irish relationship and populism
He continued on the dangers of populist demagogues and the need for centrist parties to defend democracy, with a brief approving chair remark at the end.
For the last two years, the British-Irish relationship has been at its lowest ever ebb. I hope that with a new Prime Minister will come a new fostering of that relationship. As soon as a new Prime Minister is appointed, we should have a debate in this House about how to bring that relationship up from rock bottom to a workable one. We can look at Boris Johnson and others as some sort of Shakespearean tragedy. At the minute, he is like King Lear wandering lost in the storm, cursing the loss of his kingdom. It is Nixonesque but even Nixon knew when it was time to go. This is the danger of electing populist demagogues like Johnson and Trump. These are people who think governing is a God-given right rather than it being a privilege to serve the country one is elected by.
Comment on this
This is the danger of populism. It can never be left unchecked. Those of us in centrist parties must never forget that the centre must hold. This is the danger of electing populist demagogues. It results in people with no respect for democracy or the public who attempt to cling to power at all costs. It is utterly disgusting. We have to be very clear that we in this country are not immune to that. We are not immune to someone from the far right or the far left or any sort of thing happening. Those of us in political centrist parties have to be aware of that danger.
