The last few days have seen further outbreaks of that rationality, consistency and sense of proportion with which many Remainers, those opposed to Britain’s exit from the EU, have become so indelibly associated.
Following last week’s Commons rebellion by 11 Conservative MPs who joined opposition MPs to defeat the government over their insistence that Parliament should have a “meaningful” vote on the UK’s Brexit deal, there has been uproar over the insults to which they have been subjected by Brexiteeers, the calls to deselect them and the death threats they are said to have received.
In the Observer two Tory peers, Baronesses Altman and Wheatcroft, write: “The resulting appalling insults from Brexiters, calls for expulsion from the party, and even death threats, are worrying symptoms of the toxic atmosphere which has been created in our country.”
What astounding hypocrisy! Those wanting to leave the EU have been insulted for years as xenophobic racist stupid bigots. The former prime Minister David Cameron himself called UKIP members “fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists”.
What selective memory! During the rebellion by eurosceptics against the Major government over the Maastricht treaty, those rebels — reportedly called “bastards” by John Major — were threatened with deselection.