A Short and Hurried piece for the KCW Today web site Friday 24th June 2016
David Cameron steps down
I have known David Cameron for over fifteen years. He saved his party in 2005 after three thumping defeats and made them electable. His forethought and quickness in decision making during three critical days following the 2010 election enabled him to become Prime Minister of an unlikely coalition with the Lib Dems. Ultimately it saved his bacon and destroyed the Lib Dems as a national party.
There was though a festering boil inside the Tory party. Some loathed Europe and pushed the threat of UKIP's rise to make the PM promise a referendum.
It is sad to recall today that this referendum, its ridiculous length coupled with the lies and the poisonous campaigning, has led the country to vote for leaving Europe. And worse caused the resignation of the PM just thirteen months after he led his party to a surprise victory in the 2015 election. How unkind it must all seem to him. He put his back into the campaign unlike Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn. This was not the way he was supposed to leave Downing Street. But politics can be a brutal game changer.
The Johnson-Gove axis may well be gloating behind his back and honing their acceptance speeches as the next PM and Chancellor in-waiting but their day will also come. For the moment, let us remember David Cameron - a decent, open and thoughtful human being. He was not a great prime minister: they are rarer beasts but he gave his all to the job in the most trying of economic circumstances.
Now, the United Kingdom breaks up. Scotland will have a second referendum next year before Article 50 is invoked and will become independent. A united Ireland is next. Whither Wales as the English backlash is coming.
ends