I know that times are very different from the middle of the seventeenth century but could we be heading for another English Civil War?
It may sound far fetched but I wonder. The country is riven in two, between the europhobic and europhilic contingents with a split that is not far from 50:50, if you discount the disinterested and disenfranchised.
The union seems to be teetering on the edge of dissolution and a new Prime Minister has been imposed upon us, one who is supposed to heal the wounds and bring us back together and unite the nation once again. On the experience of his first few weeks in office the divisions are getting worse. He is, by his very nature, a divisive character.
Mud is flying. People are being mocked for their position on the issue of leaving the Eureopean Union. Worse still those who wish to remain are being called traitors while those in power are called liars and cheats. There is no sign of situation being resolved in the near future and the cliff edge of the ‘do or die’ departure date of the 31st October is causing hysteria.
Some people have been prepared to take the fight to the streets and so is it such a great leap for others to take up arms? All conflicts start from some festering disagreement yet only some descend into full blown war.
Could we end up in civil war? Many of the elements are there. If the union collapses, England leaves the EU and a period of global uncertainty follows, then perhaps.
I hope not.
What is more worrying for me and more likely to happen, in my opinion, is that the gates of parliament will be opened to extremists. Each side of the argument will demand more and more radical solutions, parliament will be seen as the problem rather than the solution and the middle ground will be stretched to breaking.
I have no more idea of how this is going to play out than anyone else but I think we should be very wary of where the current climate could lead. In the meantime you may wish to choose a hat.
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 