Category: Britain

The battle of Rochester

Updated on

21/10/2025 by author

I attended the anti-racist event in Rochester. Some 200 people attended to face 15 UKIP supporters with perhaps 100 police in attendance. The bill for these protests will mean more money wasted to build a better Britain (The Farage Riots of 2024 cost £32 million). This year’s flagshagging events will cost more. The flagshaggers marched up to Rochester Castle, not to pour boiling oil and shower us with arrows from the turrets, but for a much needed toilet break after a heavy session in Wetherspoons … They then departed. MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY, I bumped into the Labour Party MP Tristan Osbourne and met with the Green Party of Medway and Lib Dems at the event.

Labour in vain

I congratulated Tristan on Labour’s decision to talk about Brexit after snuffing out all conversation about a major source of our malaise in the General Election. See Labour GE Post-Mortem for more detail.

I then pointed out that ‘one swallow does not a summer make’. Tristan agreed and responded by saying that Labour would be making a statement about it in the budget. Whilst I fully understood why he could not tell me what the statement might be, I took away the idea that it may well be more ‘logical incrementalism’ rather than a fundamental reversal of the Brexit mess. He hinted at this saying that he wanted Brexit reversed within his lifetime, however he is around 40 and I am 67! I pointed out that the matter was urgent and important and that death by 1000 ameliorations is still death. Faced in real life with a rapid death over a slow painful one, I’d opt for the rapid one. So it is with Brexit. Labour must act now or face the consequences.

Tristan then tried to punt the idea to me that the EU had said that we could not return until the threat of Farage had passed, meaning post 2029 at the earliest. I re-rehearsed the arguments that we had previously: This would be too late for a host of reasons explained in Reboot Britain. I also pointed out that what matters is putting in the application, not the end of the process. Frankly this was the part of the conversation I did not believe, since the EU have stated publicly that they would welcome us back on many occasions. See political capital in Reboot Britain.

Tristan’s answer reminded me of a teenager wanting to ask a girl out but does not want to get a no !! This was the least believable part of our dialogue and I don’t know what purpose Tristan thought it might serve, given my knowledge, skills and experience.

We went on to discuss the optics of Reform UK and agreed about a lot of that. It was a cordial and intelligent dialogue and I thank him for it. I explained that I’d given a keynote at MP Sadik Al-Hassan’s town hall meeting on Brexit and it turned out that he and Tristan are good friends. All in all a valuable ‘brief encounter’. I’d had a similar meeting with my Labour MP Naushabah Khan recently and she dropped similar hints that Labour would be more bold. I’d welcome it.

Dead Brexit — The only good Brexit is a dead Brexit.

Zac attack

I also had a great encounter with Medway Greens and was asked why I had not joined them. I stated that I was still considering standing a cat for election locally in 2027, perhaps a green cat … What was most interesting was that there was broad agreement that Zac Polanski was a force for good in terminating the rise of the far right in Britain.

Dem Libs

The Lib Dems led the charge in terms of marshalling people at the event. I have explained to Mark Pack that since Labour are on the move re Brexit, it is time for the Lib Dems to recalibrate their position on Brexit to move the Overton Window. I do hope that they don’t miss the boat on this.

Lib Dem Cat — The local Lib Dem still sees my cat as an existential threat to the survival of the Lib Dems. Amazing !!

Side note: I asked a policemen early on, had they (UKIP – UK I Pee) urinated? – he seemed confused and a little disturbed. until I pointed out that this was the key metric which would determine their eventual departure back to Wetherspoons. Youth and inexperience !!

Posted in Borders, Brexit, Brexorcism, Britain, Culture, Democracy, Europe, Farage, Fascism, Immigration, Keir Starmer, Labour, Rejoin EU | Tagged Brexit, Britain, Labour, Politics, Rejoin EU | 2 Replies

The Disenfranchised

Updated on

29/09/2025 by author

Peter Cook

I am a regular attendee of open mic jam sessions where I live in Kent and use them to keep my musical skills up. But just recently I was told of a session being organised by the alt right wing and, in particular by two characters, both of whom I’d had some previous encounters with. This article concerns a chap by the name of Kes, who told me he went to prison (for drugs I think) during which time he learned to use knives and so on. I met him a few years back. He told me his hard luck story of drugs, knives and prison, explained that he was trying to get back on his feet and offered to fix my guitars for cash.

Fast forward a few years and Kes began messaging me about the open mic jam session. He knows my views on the far right and the pathetic flagshagging that is sweeping the country at the moment. He also knows that I would not attend a session organised by the far right, as they use them to recruit young vulnerable people. Nonetheless, full marks for trying. Kes quickly became threatening. Here is the transcript in time order. It all began from my observation that he was using the union jack as the backdrop for his advert. Kes makes it very clear that he is going to share the conversation – a veiled threat that others will be “looking out for me” in the local area. It’s only fair to repay the compliment …. Transparency is the best disinfectant.

Prepare for a lengthy diatribe. The comments in pale blue are Kes and the ones in dark blue mine.

How it began

Kes rejects all forms of information save for the ones he sources himself. This is typical of the hardcore Brexit supporters. It makes them particularly unappealing candidates for informed conversations. See also Our Jools.

The obsession with rape is of course palpable. But I refuse to debate parts of a problem as it only allows them to dig deeper down a rabbit hole. It remains a fact that the vst majority of rapes are committed by white English people, and many are known to their victims.

The video above is one suggesting that Ukraine started the war with Russia !!

Now quoting Katie Hopkins as a reliable journalist …

The File on Four piece is well worth your time by the way: Inside the migrant hotel.

A personal appeal

Reflections

I’m still confused as the plethora of unanswered questions that this stream of consciousness raises. Kes’ anger at his situation is palpable. The refusal to accept the work of media outlets makes it virtually impossible for me to get any further with him, as he refuses to accept facts over his feelings, exaccerbated by Tik Tok videos.

That said, the work still needs to be done. Nigel Farage preys on people like Kes and he seems to be keen to do the same.

The image of Robert Jenprick, shadow Justice Secretary at the header of this post illustrates the belief that far right flagshagging is considered a vote winner. It is not a victimless crime. See our report on the abuse of women and children by such people.

I do feel sorry for Kes given what he told me of his health conditions, none of which were apparent when I last encountered him. Given the level of threats made and one or two doubts I have regarding his story, I am not in the mood to want to help him. His abuse and dismissal of me is forgettable. As my dad used to say “Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you”.

I remain extremely concerned that Kes seems to be planning to be a counsellor which requires considerable moral courage and other skills. He is of course right that education is supposed to be about how to think, rather than what to think, yet I see little independent thought in this diatribe.

Above all else, this once again demonstrates the poverty of online dialogue as a means of talking people down from ingrained beliefs about Brexit, Europe, Politics and populism. See also the recent close encounter with someone obsessed with stopping the boats.

To learn more about the art and discipline of face to face Brexorcism, see Reboot Britain and A Better Britain.

RBB Brexit Online Brexorcisms — The poverty of Online Brexorcisms. Click image to read the book.

I am now taking a long break from Kes, having gathered some basic data on his life, motives, fears and fantasies. Serious mindset change cannot happen without a series of face to face encounters and, given his threats of violence and his intention to ‘dox’ me, I cannot proceed.

Off to eat a Swan in a bap for breakfast …. and to read about how Brexit was backed by Putin as part of a longer plan to destroy the west. Of course, Kes won’t believe this, as it’s on the BBC, New York Times, Guardian, Politico, yada yada.

Postscript

Kes continues to send unverified bollocks made by people who have a phone and a voice. I am no longer replying, having gathered sufficient intelligence for Kent Police who have taken an interest in the cell structure of far right agit-populism. His final assault is included for amusement and or pity, depending on your point of view. Since Kes insists on telling others in the area of my details, I should make it known that the last time a far right agitator committed criminal damage and knife crime, he had to pay £3500 for his sins. The rate has gone up since 2023 …. fill your boots …

I'm pleased to say that I took the person who did this to court after the police bungled the case (he was an ex policeman). He has been fined £3000 for malicious communications, criminal damage and the use of a knife

I settled the matter in the end by myself#BrexitDisaster pic.twitter.com/WhDfNS6EeP
— Peter Cook – Brexorcist in Chief – Reboot Britain (@BrexitRage) January 30, 2022

How it ended

Oh well ….

Posted in Brexit, Brexorcism, Britain, Climate Disaster, Education, Rejoin EU, Trump | Tagged Brexit, Britain, Elon Musk, Nigel Farage, Politics | Leave a reply

Angela Rayner

Updated on

06/09/2025 by author

Peter Cook

I like Angela Rayner. See our latest article on her demise. As some who started life in a council house, who pulled myself up by my bootstraps, with a wife from Manchester, I identify with Angela’s straight talk on many things. I was therefore even more dismayed to hear her spinning myths and lies on LBC this week about Brexit. Angela came up with many of the Brexiteer arguments in this interview. Here are some of her ‘whoppers’.

The will of the people must be respected

Horseshit. We are fast approaching the point where 70% of people in Britain believe that Brexit has failed. Angela appears not understand that democracy is NOT a project. It is a process. She would not even be an MP if democracy were a project as women would not have a vote or be able to participate in society. We would be more like Saudi Arabia under Angela’s view of democracy.

We can’t just rejoin

Bollocks. Whilst it’s true that all takes time, the only thing preventing us from starting the process is a backbone in politics. Read our article on the matter at Byline Times.

I met with four Labour Councillors campaigning in my area on Sunday. All said they fundamentally disagreed with the exec. Are they prepared to do anything about it? Of course not. We need ‘different’ and not more of the same. What matters is the beginning of the journey, not the end point.

We can’t rejoin on the same terms

This was perhaps Angela’s cleverest deception. By not being specific, she allowed people to fill in the dots by themselves … for example “oh we’ll lose the pound, Shengen, pints”, and many other myths put forward by the Brexiteers. These feed the Labour project fear narrative and Angela should really know better.

It is true that Old Albion will need to learn some appropriate humility as part of the joining process, instead of the English exceptionalism which characterised the Brexit vote. However, it is unwise to place more constraints in the way of success than is necessary before negotiations begin. When I reflect on the conversation I observed with Barnier, I know that rejoining is possible. Yes, it will be difficult and everything will be on the table. If Britain decided that it must keep the pound for example, I’m sure it would be considered. Since all is a trade, the EU may come with some other things we may have to move on to keep the pound, perhaps in the finance domain, perhaps an asymmetric trade-off. For example, we have just seen concessions on Northern Ireland traded with changes to the Erasmus scheme. Nonetheless, what we must do is establish the principle of rejoining and political will to do so. Once that is secured, we must then leave the negotiators to do the work, as we did in the Brexit negotiations. See our book on Rejoining the EU.

Dodging the Brexit bullets.

HARD FACTS – click to read more

Only 18% of people believe Brexit is a success

Joining anew is both possible and desirable

The terms come down to skilful negotiation

Remainers must demand better of Labour

Labour run the risk of losing if they ignore Brexit

Posted in Angela Rayner, Brexit, Brexorcism, Britain, Britastrophe, Education, Keir Starmer, Labour | Tagged Angela Rayner, Brexit, Labour | Leave a reply

Multicultural Britain 15 : Racists 1

Updated on

31/08/2025 by author

Peter Cook

I travel quite a bit on a bus. Upon boarding on Friday I was confronted by a man about 60 who was on his phone, swearing and shouting loudly at the front of the bus in the doorwell the driver. I sat down a few metres away and quickly noticed another man of similar age with his young grandchildren. The other man continued swearing and cursing foreigners. I spoke softly to him:

“Language Timothy, there are children present”.

He replied “Fucking muslamics and foriengers, fuck off c…nts – stop listening to my phone calls you fucking w…nker”. It was hard not to hear him for all the passengers on the bus as he was making sure everyone knew what he was saying! He moved towards me but then backed off.

There were about 15 people on the bus of all ages and races. I initially ignored his provocation and dropped eye contact, but he continued the abuse so I repeated my request. He raised his voice adding further racial abuse. Then the grandfather spoke to him saying that he had young children who were physically afraid by this time. He continued. A young nurse sitting opposite him behind the driver then asked him to be quiet. He moved towards her spewing more abuse and telling her to shut her mouth.

I decided this was enough and told him to stop abusing women and get off the bus. I was about to take further action when he decided to get off, still shouting foul abuse.

Farage Riots

This is what Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and Brexit has brought to Britain. I had not been quick enough to record his shouting but felt the need to make a public apology on his behalf to all the other passengers on the bus. The response was quite remarkable from people of all colours and ages. It seemed that nobody wanted his racism in the community. I made a recording of this below:

If only he realised that Brexit Begat Boats and so on. but he was too thick to know anything, let alone the Dublin Agreement.

Inspired by this bizarre incident I formulated the Gammon English DNA test !! Provocative, but we must work inside their belief systems to reach them.

The only Brexit racist in the village

This is not an isolated incident where I live in Kent. Last week, I encountered an OAB (Old Age Brexiteer) on my bicycle with a union jack skirt caught shouting “F off Paki” to an Indian Sikh in Chatham. I intervened and later apologised to the Indian gentleman who said that the OAB couldn’t help himself and it was a problem of humanity. I replied that this did not make it agreeable or acceptable. Paradoxically, the OAB voted to make himself poorer via Brexit. Nigel and Boris “forgot” to mention this in the “sales pitch”. Let’s keep this in context. It was ONE old age man out of 67 million who claims to speak for all of us!!!! He does not

China Crisis

Even more disgusting is this example of a Chinese Restaurant in York:

Once again, the true spirit of Britain has come to counterbalance the knuckle dragging racists:

https://twitter.com/Taj_Ali1/status/1961790338047070449

Brexit racists make a lot of noise (literally) but are a very small number. If this were a football match, the score on the bus would have been Multicultural Britain 15 : Racists 1. We must not be swayed by these thugs.

Farage Riots cost Britain dearly

The Farage Riots in 2024 cost £32 million. The 2025 ones probably a lot more. All money that will not be directed towards improving Britain. But the lowlifes who protest don’t understand that. Perhaps the rioters should be made to pay the bill? They certainly should not want to be receiving healthcare from forins ….
We need a better Britain in a better Europe for a better World. Read our article on the subject. If you found this article useful, please support our work.

And finally, common sense

In a late entry after this was posted, please watch Zoe Gardner providing bucket loads of common sense on the subject of hotels, asylum seekers and disinformation:

And our original immigration algorithm from 2023:

Posted in Brexit, Brexorcism, Britain, Farage, Fascism, Racism, Rejoin EU | Tagged Brexit, Britain, Rejoin EU | 6 Replies

The ADHD Society

Posted on

08/08/2025 by author

Peter Cook

If you are busy, browsing or multitasking, I’m afraid this will take you at least ONE minute to read, possibly longer to reflect on …

I’m often told by Rejoiners that people no longer read articles and they want instant gratification. Over the years I’ve made everything from 30 second EU TUBE films, TV and Radio packages, original songs to high potency memes, long and short articles, organised national tours, given keynotes, even properly (and improperly) researched books. Still I’m told that they are not “quite right”. The people telling me these things usually do nothing themselves but are quick to judge others’ efforts. Armchair criticism is easy. Ho hum.

Just a minute … or six

Watch my six minute keynote, given for a Labour MP in North Somerset. I dare anyone to produce something of equivalent value in less time. you may call me “slowhand” like Eric Clapton if you wish …

Overcoming ADHD

Meanwhile, the zeitgeist is towards longer, deeper interventions into the minds and souls of our target communities. Emily Maitlis, Alastair Campbell, John Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Michael Lambert, Robespierre, Brian Cox (both of them), Zoe Gardner, Rob Groves, A Different Bias, Rory Stewart, Marina Purkiss, Andrew Marr, Jon Sopel, Lewis Goodall, Gavin Esler et al. understand the notion that “complex problems do not have simple answers”. Thinking takes time, particularly for those who don’t use that muscle often …. Sitting back and watching a man in a hat shout at the wind, or whingeing on social media is not enough.

If we really want to work on Brexit and Rejoining the EU, we must get past the idea of just consuming an “all you can eat social media diet” and work more deeply and completely on issues and people whose minds we seek to change. The book “Reboot Britain” articulates the therapeutic basis and various psychological interventions needed to reach hardened minds. It’s a long read, but worth it and I’ve broken it up with images and summaries for our ADHD society !! 🙂

If you can only stand a minute or two on politics, check out the 40 + radio appearances I have made on LBC and BBC. Or the TV appearances via stuff. Get in touch if you would like some coaching and / or mentoring on dealing with the media and journalists.

Instant gratification

And just for instant gratification, feel free to use or adapt our latest graphic which satirises Nigel Farage and Reform UK. I hestitate to give them any oxygen and when I do it is not to express outrage as their followers love the salty tears of remainers. Instead I show them for what they are, using this to confront Rupert Lowe, Nigel and their blind followers on Linkedin etc. More Brexit satire at Gutterpress.

Posted in Britain, Education, Mental Health | Tagged ADHD, Britain | Leave a reply

Labour one year on

Updated on

21/07/2025 by author

Peter Cook

In the run up to the 2024 general election, I was told by numerous Labour voters and activists “Look, just vote Labour. It’s going to be alright. As soon as they get elected, they will end Brexit”. Although I did not believe them (and have been proved to be right), I agreed that the Tories needed to go. So I made sure that my election campaign did not harm Labour and then waited. I’m still waiting. In this article, I take a dispassionate view of Labour’s first year in power.

A good start marred by sheer incompetence

Labour got off to a good start, facing down “The Farage Riots” to great effect. It is to Labour’s actual decisions that I have the greatest issues. Decisions which barely touch the sides of our problems in Rebooting Britain, but which have generated so much heat and given the far right media so many easy wins. For example : The pensioners heating allowance last winter. Worth a measly £1.2 billion (Yes, I’d like to have £1.2 bn but it’s petty cash in the grand scheme of things). This generated so much heat for so little financial gain … in fact if the heat generated by public and media reaction had been stored we could have heated the whole country for several winters!! Worse still, Labour have now backtracked on it, long after the damage to the Labour brand has been done.

Death by 1000 Brexit ameliorations

Labour claim to have kept their Brexit red lines but in fact broken them in several areas. See Labour’s Red Lines. This has not gone unnoticed by Farage and the Alt Right Wing press. Even though Labour’s strategy on Europe amounts to “death by 1000 Brexit ameliorations” rather than more fundamental fixes, they have gained just as much damage to the Labour brand as if they had applied to Rejoin the EU. Brexit costs us £140 Billion every year in lost opportunity and taxes. This dwarfs the pensioners’ heating costs, PIP, social care etc.

Shameful behaviour

The PIP fiasco was yet another disastrous decision, presumably informed by the triumph of ideology over pragmatism and an adherence to the doctrines of Morgan McSweeney. On this subject, I find it hard to tell the difference between Starmer’s government and the Tories. I could go on about rollback on climate commitments, social care, toadying to Trump due to our Brexit weakness and Labour’s point blank refusal to provide safe routes for migrants, instead preferring to up the ante about undocumented migration, in order to pray at Nigel Farage’s fascist altar.

Sympathy for the devil?

Yes, we have had 14 years of managed decline via austerity on steroids amplified by Brexit, and most people do not understand how long it takes to turn the economic cycle round, so it’s slightly unfair to expect Labour to be able to waive magic wands on all the issues competing for their attention. However, there was no need for Labour to prey upon our most vulnerable citizens in order to look tough for a few knuckle dragging gammons in the so called red wall. There are plenty of other good choices to be made. There is no way Labour can discuss growth without confronting the Brexit elephant in the room. See our work in Somerset for the Labour MP there. Labour are also shamefully complicit in the genocide in Gaza and for trying to criminalise old age pensioners who use the word Palestine as part of civil protests.

Death by 1000 ameliorations is still death

We were asked to give an interview for Dubai TV in Arabic regarding the Kensington Treaty. This is an agreement between Chancellor Merz and Keir Starmer on defence and security, climate, economics, trade and STEM co-operation. Starmer chose to highlight the rather thin issue of some basic co-operation on migration control to appease Farage. Here is the raw interview. We simply need to apply to rejoin EU fully to overcome the problems facing Brexit Britain. Death by 1000 Brexit ameliorations is still death, albeit a slow one.

To support our continuing work in mainstream media, provision of independent journalism via articles for various platforms, the upkeep of website and all running costs, please go to support us.

Posted in Borders, Brexit, Brexorcism, Britain, Europe, Keir Starmer, Labour, Leadership, Rejoin EU | Tagged Brexit, Britain, Labour, Rejoin EU | 4 Replies

A Better Britain

Updated on

10/06/2025 by author

Peter Cook

I have long advocated the need for “Mass Brexorcisms” on an individual level, to heal the divides brought about by Brexit disinformation. I developed the proven methodology in our book Reboot Britain – Changing tired minds on Brexit. Sadly, my advice largely fell on deaf ears. Admittedly a “Brexorcism” requires vast supplies of skill, patience, empathy / UPR and time, lots of it, spread out over time, to be effective. But we must gradually talk people down from “Farage’s fictional mountains” of myths, mythinformation and downright lies. Brexorcism is therefore very effective but also very inefficient, as a way to change the minds of the masses.

So, we must move from individuals to groups and whole communities. Although I have dealt with social groups, operating at scale for whole communities is not within our capacity. However, it IS within reach of political parties seeking to restore trust, truth and confidence in our politics. This will deflate the “dogwhistle” variant favoured by the populists and fantasists.

A National Conversation

To this end, I propose a nationwide series of town hall type events and a sustained campaign to restore truth and trust to politics. Better Britain events will combine notable speakers and experts with the crucial element of actually listening to the lived experience of those who would normally not get involved in politics via expertly facilitated small group sessions. In doing so, we will tease out a common vision of what would constitute a Better Britain. I’m under no illusions as to just how important it will be for this to be designed properly. I am available to help political parties do the necessary groundwork from my other side of life as a management / organisation and change consultant.

Who will do this?

I favour a coalition of progressive parties, such as the Lib Dems and Greens to engage communities. However, it it is clearly Labour and The Conservatives who have the most skin in the game to deal with people who believe that Reform UK is the only answer to our problems in Britain. We offer the idea to anyone who wishes to put an end to the populist rot that is infesting our nation.

Reboot Britain

If people wish to support a pilot scale event, to show the political parties what it looks like, I am happy to mount such an event with funding. Please go to Support Us, if you would like to see a better Britain.

Posted in Brexit, Britain, Education, Politics | Tagged Brexit, Britain, Politics, Rejoin EU | 7 Replies

War, what is it good for?

Updated on

10/06/2025 by author

Peter Cook

I was called to give some interviews for various Middle Eastern TV platforms on the reasoning for Mark Rutter’s visit to UK on Monday 9th June. The interviews are obviously not in English, so here I set out some of the arguments I made. The TV clips can be found below.

37 pence a day for 70+ years of peace in Europe

Mark Rutte visited UK to shore up support for NATO, Ukraine etc.

Starmer is desperate for friends in a post Brexit jurassic world. However, kowtowing to Trump and Farage is not the right strategy. More courage is needed from Starmer. Morgan Mc Sweeney must go.

Trump knows that Starmer is beleaguered by Brexit so he uses Britain as a bridgehead to batter Europe and the EU for his ally Putin.

Our natural partner is Europe and Britain must show unity. We have no other choice and cannot continue with “cakeist democracy”.

Sadly, the only defence strategy is to show Putin a united front.

UK is strapped for cash due to Brexit. But a 1% rise in defence spending equates to £30 billion pa. Brexit costs us £140 billion EVERY year in lost opportunity and tax receipts, so defence uplift can be afforded if Starmer will face down the Brexit elephant in the room. Read more at Rejoin the EU.

Peace is more than the absence of war. Brits paid 37 pence a day each for our EU membership. Go compare how much we paid for EU membership from your council tax bill (see below).

Whilst Starmer needs to be courteous to President Trump, he goes too far in the appeasement game. Instead, he must learn from John Bolton, Mark Carney, Chancellor Merz and President Zelenskyy.

Moving from 2.5% to 3.0% in the next Parliament is simply too little, too late. It places politics before country. Do better.

Council Tax bill — Our contribution to the EU was negligible at 0.1%

Deep Brexit Water — Brexit puts us in peril. Get rid of it.

Posted in Brexit, Britain, Economics, Europe, Fascism, Labour, Leadership, Populism, Rejoin EU, Russia, Trump, Ukraine | Tagged Europe, NATO, Rejoin EU, Trump | Leave a reply

EU movements

Updated on

29/05/2025 by author

Peter Cook

I have written many times on the fragmentation of the Remain / Rejoin organisation and likened our movement to that of Indonesia (17 000 islands, many with just a few inhabitants etc.). For more detail on the OD issues, see Reasons to be Helpless and Indonesia. Last week I attended the so-called Brexit reset summit to meet a few colleagues. In passing, I made a trip down memory lane and it was good to catch up with a few friends. Although this will grate a little with some of you reading this, I was not impressed with the organisation of the event, save for the Three Million, who at least had thought about some level of coherence.

Shouting at the wind

Steve Bray dominated the protest with his SODEM fan club. It was the usual bad karaoke punctuated by occasional shouting. In case of doubt, I helped to start the street activism that became SODEM (Stand of Defiance European Movement – itself a two fingered salute to The European Movement). Some of you may therefore see my critique as being based on jealousy. It is not. The trouble with the SODEM protest is that it fails to provide any meaningful content or substance to journalists. Instead they use it as a colourful backdrop to their own stories, which is widely regarded as a joke by critics.

Photo backdrops may please those that appear in the pictures but it means that Remain still has no a credible voice in Mainstream Media – See objective 2 of our five goals. Where I live in Brexit Central, leave voters think that Steve Bray IS the sum total of our movement. It’s very hard to push back on this view.

Style and substance

Some Remainers still don’t understand the need to balance substance (content) with style (delivery). I made several attempts to get Steve a regular podcast with Jon Snow of Channel 4 some years back. I also gave several other suggestions to professionalise SODEM’s work, such as making the compilation video interviews. However, the C4 opportunity was disregarded out of hand and I (and Jon) were shouted down by the mob. Our protest at Parliament remains literally a one man show with a loud hailer and an amplifier. This is a far cry from the diverse and more inclusive offerings of previous incarnations.

Even Steve himself has done better. For example, when he used to intercept politicians with his Socratic questioning style. These were often deeply penetrating pieces rather than “shouting at the wind”. Whilst the loud hailer was amusing for a while, Steve’s act has not changed and it grates with professional journalists trying to do their job. Sadly, this is what many people see as our public face. We can and have done much better.

No more heroes

I’m told that Steve has made several millions from his protests. People love to support lone heroes and this satiates their own guilt, allowing them to do nothing. We have always needed distributed leadership and not heroic leadership – see the academic literature on these terms.

Pressure groups … not

I was astonished to see that the “real” European Movement made a claim on Linkedin that their own pressure had led to Keir Starmer’s reset. In fact, the elements in the so-called reset were included in the Labour 2024 Manifesto. Having once been a leader of an EM group, I’m afraid to say that they are not leaders, not even fast followers but laggards, in terms of being a pressure group. The leader of the Rejoin Party nailed the point:

“The purpose of a pressure group is to apply pressure, NOT to align themselves with one party’s manifesto commitments.”

Brendan Donnelly, former MEP.

Illogical incrementalism

It was Andrew Adonis, EM Chair, who sold the Remainers the false narrative of “step by step” aka logical incrementalism.

Hardly stretch targets. Just Labour Policy or opportunistic asks (defence).

Leadership is needed

I make these remarks in the hope that this prompts some continuous improvement in both areas. Labour will move only if they see considerable political advantage in doing so. Influence comes from both “push” and “pull” communications’ strategies. SODEM’s voice is an extreme form of push communications and is no longer very persuasive. EM’s voice does not push or pull our leaders to action at all, being totally in the pocket of their intended audience. “Creative tension” is always needed between leaders and their intended audience, rather than corrosive tension or no tension at all. See Peter Senge for more on creative tension and leadership of change.

Reset or Reboot and Rejoin?

It is clear that the only good Brexit reset is a dead Brexit. Read more by subscribing to our newsletter (free). Labour must find more courage. Rejoin won’t wait until 2032 as the damage of Brexit will be largely complete, much of it irreversible. The only piece of solace from the Brexit reset is the agreement to dynamic alignment. Still this is thin gruel. Starmer has managed to upset both ‘sides’ of the Brexit debate. Labour are banking on the belief that the Remainers are more forgiving. We shall see ….

Starmergeddon — Click to subscribe to our newsletter.

Posted in Brexit, Britain, Leadership, Politics, Populism, Rejoin EU | Tagged Brexit, Britain, Rejoin EU | Leave a reply

Changing minds on Europe

Updated on

12/04/2025 by author

Peter Cook

Charles Radley is mounting a campaign to persuade some MPs to change to a pro-EU party (e.g. Lib-Dem, Green, SNP, Plaid Cymru). First we are targeting those Labour constituencies where the MP is known to be pro-EU and where a pro-EU party came second in 2024. But we plan to do much more in terms of lobbying MPs across Britain with books and other resources. Can you help? Please fill in the questionnaire at this Google forms link so we can organise our campaigning most effectively. Thanks !