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| Caroline Lucas, Justine Greening and Anna Soubry |
Green MP Caroline Lucas has bizarrely called for an all-female unity government to stop a no deal Brexit. She has written to nine fellow Remain MPs, plus Nicola Sturgeon, asking them to join forces with her in forming a feminist anti-Brexit government in the event that the Johnson administration is brought down by a no confidence vote. Who would be the Prime Minister following Lucas's ambitious coup? Well, according to the Guardian, it could be none other than Lucas herself. Jo Swinson could be her deputy. It's sounds absolutely nuts, but this is the current political climate we are in and these people will do almost anything to stop Brexit from happening.
The recipients of Lucas's letter were all women and all Remainers:
Heidi Allen MP (Ind)
Kirsty Blackman MP (SNP)
Yvette Cooper MP (Lab)
Justine Greening MP (Con)
Sylvia Hermon MP (Ind)
Liz Saville Roberts MP (Plaid)
Anna Soubry MP (Change UK)
Jo Swinson MP (Lib Dem)
Emily Thornberry MP (Lab)
Nicola Sturgeon MSP (SNP, First Minister of Scotland)
Dear Colleagues
It is hard to remember a moment in my lifetime when Britain faced a greater crisis. A coup led by a small group of right-wing libertarians is all but complete, as the Vote Leave team has been re-assembled and taken control of 10 Downing St. They are set upon implementing the most extreme 'No Deal' version of Brexit - and, most terrifyingly, we are running out of time to stop them.
At times of national crises, political leaders need to bring a country together. But that is not happening. The government is hell-bent on creating more divisions, scapegoating our friends and neighbours, and ignoring the inequality and democratic deficit that fueled the Brexit vote.
We will only get through this crisis if we come together, from across the political spectrum, and set up an 'emergency cabinet' - not to fight a Brexit war, but to work for reconciliation. And I believe this should a cabinet of women.
Why women? Because I believe women have shown they can bring a different perspective to crises, are able to reach out to those they disagree with and cooperate to find solutions. It was two women who began the Peace People movement during the worst of the troubles in Northern Ireland; it was two women who were key to the signing of the Paris Agreement on climate; difficult, intractable problems have found the beginning of resolution thanks to the leadership of women.
That is why I am reaching out to you, not so that a small group of us decide on Britain's future, but so that we end the dangerous pursuit of a crash-out Brexit and find a way forward which allows the British people to decide which course to take.
It means denying Boris Johnson the reins of power with a no confidence vote, establishing a national unity government and then pressing the pause button in order to organize a confirmatory vote which offers people the choice of the status quo or pressing ahead with the latest government plan – whether that is a revised Withdrawal Agreement or, as seems more likely, a proposal to leave with no deal.
It also means a commitment that, as politicians, we accept the outcome of that fair, transparent and informed vote, even if it delivers a result we do not agree with.
I believe we can make this happen. I'm asking you to meet with me in the coming days, so together we can transform the conversation about Brexit. So together we can find a positive way forward, revitalize our democracy and stand up to this Government's reckless gamble with Britain's future.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
Caroline Lucas MP
Considering that Caroline is from the painfully politically correct Green Party, the idea of an exclusively female government is hypocritical to say the least. Such is her party's dedication to gender equality that it has been traditionally led by a male and female co-leader for most of its existence. So why has she now ditched this 50:50 mantra in favour of a 100% female agenda? Is it a self-serving power grab so that she can claim the top job and ultimately the 'glory' for reversing Brexit?
Of course the irony of the so-called 'national unity government' is that it wouldn't be and couldn't be anything of the sort. It is dedicated to the overthrow of a pro-Leave government, replacing it with an exclusively pro-Remain government, one that would not merely be concerned with stopping a no deal Brexit, but would be committed to revoking Article 50 full stop. This would not lead to 'unity', it would lead to chaos.
The only recipient of Lucas's letter to respond publicly at the time of writing is Emily Thornberry.
I thank @CarolineLucas for her fight against Brexit, and I will always stand with her on a platform to Remain, but I worry her new proposed plan would not solve our country's divisions. The people must have the final say, not politicians from either side. Here's my full reply. pic.twitter.com/VByHbf9d7Y— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) August 11, 2019
Diane Abbott also expressed reservations.
Backdoor route to a National Government. Didn’t work for Ramsey Mcdonald and won’t work now, whatever the gender of the participants https://t.co/ru0CbHwrK4— Diane Abbott (@HackneyAbbott) 11 August 2019
But Clive Lewis was impressed, though he complained that Lucas had neglected to write to any BAME women.
.@CarolineLucas calls for emergency female cabinet to block no-deal Brexit> I think this a very interesting proposal.. One genuine question: Where are the BAME women politicians? 🤷🏽♂️ https://t.co/qQu5m6wsHV— Clive Lewis MP (@labourlewis) August 11, 2019
What they all really need to realise is that Vote Leave won in 2016. If it has been "re-assembled" in Downing Street, as Lucas puts it, then we may actually have a chance to see the Leave mandate implemented. She wants to overturn that mandate. She doesn't want to "revitalise" democracy, she means to destroy it.
