In the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher could unite support around internal enemies: coal miners, industrial workers, Arthur Scargill, nationalised companies, other trade union leaders and some Labour councils.

Mrs May has an easier ride. She can unite support around a common external enemy: the EU.

So the UK government are happy to allow the British media to manipulate a passive public by portraying debate as disloyalty, the EU as a villainous foreign monster and the judiciary as an obstacle to democracy.

So you believe the government should stamp out free speech?

Are you sure you want to live in the UK?

Is this that street dancing thing where you add in jig and tango moves? It's become very popular since cardboard became too expensive to just casually spin around on.


Or is it a drinking game?

The day we leave the EU is the day we stop being able to blame anything bad that happens in the country on the nasty bogeyman that is the bloc.

This will be a glorious day as far as I am concerned. It's the day the country finally grows up.

Some parts of the British media convey the converse and what appears in the media shouldn't be controlled by the government.

You are quite right. The Tory mantra is quite simple and has not changed - divide, conquer and keep all the spoils for themselves. Assisted by a rabid, ranting right-wing press and lying, devious politicians the May government, boxed-in by its own incompetence, is desperately trying to divert attention to, and blame, anybody else for its problems - be they judges, workers, foreigners, refugees, the Scots even, and of course the EU. Encouraged by official jingoism, lies and false-patriotism, elements of the public are joining in, like baying hounds, in spreading the vile messages of nastiness. As maggots devour the heart of a good apple our country is being consumed from within by anger and bigotry. Our fathers, forefathers, men and women who fought, suffered or died to secure the freedoms we take for granted today would be angered and ashamed at what our once great country has become. There is no place in our lives for jingoism. It will only lead to greater disasters.

There's a lot of it about.

Great speech, as usual.

This plastic patriotism makes me wretch. It is the last refuge of the scoundrel.

I remember Nick Griffin making a speech to white supremists in the USA in which he assured them that the BNP had not abandoned it's racist views but had decided to 'temper' their language and instead of talking about 'racial purity' something which would put some people off voting for them, they would instead talk about 'patriotism' and national identity, because no one would dare "come at us for this"

Good to see the Tories moving closer to their BNP friends.

I wouldn't go that far, but it will certainly be the first time the country has looked at itself in the mirror for the first time in many decades.

And that could be the Brexit legacy. A growing resentment towards 'leave' supporters, who failed to take responsibility for their own actions.

Do you really think the usual suspects will stop blaming the EU for our ills after we leave? They will be like those loonies in Iran who blame the Great Satan everytime the local shop runs out of milk.

Maybe so, but at that point they become objects of ridicule rather than someone to be listened to.

I'm not sure how leave (is that different from 'leave'?) supporters are failing to take responsibility?

Do you mean we're not exhibiting signs of paranoia and depression, laced with a nasty coating of assumed superiority?

Makes you retch? or makes you a wretch. One letter, such a very different meaning....

Teresa May doesn't really do Jingoism.

May has gotten an extraordinarily easy ride so far, particularly from the right wing press. She is is portrayed as the Brexit Prime Minister and anyone who is trying to prevent or slow down Brexit is the "enemy" along with the horrible EU of course. It's a pretty strange state of affairs for a PM to be virtually immune from criticism.

Indeed. Well spotted.

How wreckless of me.

Glad you didn't try to riggle and rithe your way out of it.

Samuel Johnson April 7th 1775,

The right wing press have two responses 'outrage' and 'patriotism'. If they attack Mrs May, they betray their readership.

In a world of blame, the EU is all that's left. If the right wing press blame the government, they and their readers have no where else to go.

Leavers will blame Remainers, and vice versa. The government and right-wing press will still find someone foreign to blame I'm sure. The government has also started preparing the way for blaming small and medium sized businesses for not exporting enough.

The Tories never blame themselves and also have more than one scapegoat. It's the way of the sociopath.