The last few months of British politics have presented Brits and other Europeans not to mention a very interested world, a picture of how things should not be done if you intend being successful in business or politics or just keeping the kids in order at home. Obviously the stakes are different as are the rewards and falls. The methodology varies also but the basics of leadership simply cannot be ignored. The results of the referendum caused political turmoil and clearly showed that the people of the UK were divided on such a crucially important issue as membership of the EU. The internal disputes within the Tory party, to which the referendum was to put an end, had now spilled over and infected a nation. As a newly appointed Prime Minister Theresa May had a unique chance to prove herself as the leader of a whole country. It wasn’t as if any first steps towards analysing the situation and tentatively sounding the ground would have caused much of an uproar and even if it had, her leadership would not have been seriously questioned for inviting further dialogue. The referendum was advisory and its one question opened up for a hundred new questions leaving plenty of political space. The fact that the referendum result was so close is also a strong argument in democratic terms where major changes crave more than a simple majority. Even Theresa May´s mandate in parliament was such that an invitation to cross-party dialogue could hardly raise eyebrows and would enable her to marginalize her own most vociferous hard Brexiters. This course of action would also have been completely compatible with her having campaigned for Remain.
For whatever reasons none of this happened and Theresa May came down firmly on the Brexit side even hinting on a hard Brexit. The questions and the political dialogue she rejected and could have controlled if she had invited them, now blew up in her face. Hard Brexit, soft Brexit, freedom of movement, financial crisis, etc. etc. Leading a country may be difficult but addressing people in that country so that everyone understands is a gift given to few. Short and simple with a lucid message. With ”Brexit means Brexit” Theresa May continued digging her hole. Anyone with the most rudimentary grasp of the English language from a 3 year old upwards would ask, ”what does the lady mean?” An understandable first reaction and a likely second reaction with a little afterthought. ”We don´t know what Brexit means, does she think we´re all stupid?”
”Strong and Stable” as a follow up when announcing her u-turn decision to hold an election didn’t help matters and the country became aware that it was ”Weak and Wobbly” refusing a TV debate with other party leaders. Just forgetting these rather silly sound bites for a moment the picture is becoming clearer that Theresa May has little inclination for dialogue. This is akin to a lifeguard afraid of the water. The election results came as a welcome surprise? Everybody lost but no one admitting it. Hung parliament, what is to be done? Theresa May was given a second albeit slim chance of showing she is a capable leader. Her answer? No mention of her lost majority, no humility, no respectful response to the people who did or did not vote for her. ”Lets get to work” on Brexit with the DUP. Theresa May isn´t listening, she is still busy digging her hole.
The inevitable: very soon she will be replaced as Prime Minister.
The obvious: she was never up to the job.