Even in his worst nightmares, General de Gaulle could not have imagined a “disorder” as perfect as the current political situation among our neighbors in a Kingdom that is United only in name. For you have to be at least a Great Briton, and thus endowed with an innate sense of biting humor, to manage to organize such a mess!
Loudmouth, the iconoclastic conservative Boris Johnson loudly championed Brexit until it was voted in by a narrow margin, but voted for nonetheless, despite the Scots and Northern Irish who would have preferred to remain in Europe. Following this, Johnson — courageously — resigned, passing the pressure cooker ready to explode onto poor Theresa May, who can no longer cope with swallowing hats resembling those worn by Her Gracious Majesty.
It’s a bit like entrusting the fate of one of the world’s leading powers to Marx. I mean, of course, Groucho. In “A Night in Casablanca” (1946), the eccentric Brother is the manager — with no other competence than his madness — of a hotel where Nazis plot to recover a fortune. The film is very funny, unlike what’s happening in London. But the situation is quite similar: Groucho at the wheel, driving full speed ahead, straight into the wall.
We thought only he could get himself into such completely inextricable situations… But no, we can count on the government and parliament by the banks of the Thames to dream up the absurd scenario of a people being called to the polls to elect European deputies who undoubtedly won’t take office because of Brexit…
In his time, Churchill already declared that between the open sea and Europe, his country would always prefer the open sea. It wasn’t just a witty line on a political choice, but a prophecy that is unfortunately coming true.
Certainly, Great Britain has never really been “European,” preferring its Pound to our Euro, playing on its exception to the point of caricature. But it’s a great country, drifting towards a very uncertain open sea, with which the 27 have forged strong economic ties. It reminds me of that mythical BBC weather report announcing that a deep depression had gathered clouds and fog over the Channel, and consequently “the continent is isolated.” At the point where they are, our friends from Albion might as well light a candle. And call for a national unity government with Groucho Marx as Prime Minister, Laurel on finance, Hardy on foreign affairs, WC Fields on health, and the Monty Pythons responsible for relations with Europe…
Jean-Marie Chevallier, Les Petites Affiches
