Watch Theresa May's resignation speech in full

Brexit Blues!

The British political landscape could be in for radical change following the European elections. Will the European Election results replicate themselves in the General Election? In the next Parliament will it be a Brexit Government opposed by a Liberal Democrat /Green/SNP Opposition? Is the downfall of Mrs May also the demise of Labour and Conservative Parties?  And how should we interpret her resignation tears?






Watching Mrs May's emotional resignation speech I was reminded of the lyrics of a popular Tommy Steele song from the '50's. It goes like this:

Well, I never felt more like singin' the blues 
'Cause I never thought that I'd ever lose 
Your love dear, why'd you do me this way 
Well, I never felt more like cryin' all night 
'cause everythin's wrong, and nothin' ain't right 
Without you, you got me singin' the blues

The moon and stars no longer shine 
The dream is gone I thought was mine 
There's nothin' left for me to do 
But cry-y-y-y over you

Well, I never felt more like runnin' away 
But why should I go 'cause I couldn't stay 
Without you, you got me singin' the blues

Well, I never felt more like singin' the blues 
'Cause I never thought that I'd ever lose 
Your love dear, why'd you do me this way 
Well, I never felt more like cryin' all night 
'cause everythin's…

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b0EpHKwSRM )

Clearly Mrs May found her resignation speech outside No. 10 very emotional. At least she held out until the very last sentences. 

"I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honour of my life to hold,"  her voice breaking under the strain. "The second female Prime Minister but certainly not the  last. I do so with no ill-will but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love." 

At this point she broke down completely and quickly turned tail to re-enter No. 10 to hide her tears from the cameras and press.

Emotional tears are, it is thought, an uniquely human characteristic. They are associated predominantly with the feelings of sadness and regret - although I once had a sister-in-law who frequently laughed until she cried, so the exact opposite can also be true! 

However it is pain, either physical or psychological, that usually makes people cry, triggered by sensation, memory or empathy - essential characteristics for the well-adjusted person. 

Children cry more than adults and women seem to cry more than men, but the socialising process discourages both from doing so, so that adults particularly in public, endeavour to control the tears from flowing. 

Sometimes however the natural processes overwhelm the socially induced inhibitions when tears and associated facial expressions are the consequence, as Mrs May and the rest of us discovered outside number 10.

She obviously found the thought of being forced to leave her important job and no doubt regret over her failed Brexit negotiations, overwhelming. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=margaret+thatcher+tears+images&rlz=1C1ARAB_enGB463GB464&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=ZPBLlW-dgHzBhM%253A%252CIsCqRd2cwxSXDM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kRTRnDo1L_tlfN2dmQnoc4RTNk0Dg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjksca97MLiAhW5ShUIHbBBA2wQ9QEwAHoECAkQBA#imgrc=ZPBLlW-dgHzBhM:

It is hard not to recall the rather similar circumstances surrounding the departure of the only other female PM to whom she referred, Margaret Thatcher, who left Downing Street in 1990 in tears, having also been forced out by her colleagues. 

In terms of 'straws that break the backs of camels', the Poll Tax was Mrs Thatcher's, whilst Brexit has been Mrs May's.

Both Mrs Thatcher and Mrs May cried in public when their term came to an end which is in contrast to the men who left the post and reacted differently. Post-war, Atlee, Churchill (twice), Eden, Macmillan, Hume, Wilson (twice), Heath, Major, Blair, Brown and Cameron all had their own idiosyncratic ways of dealing with the disappointment of leaving office, but none I think shed tears in public.

Tears are often considered a sign of weakness but they can also be a sign of empathetic strength. They can indicate that most precious human ability to sympathise with others in their distress or difficulty. Tragedy can evoke sadness and tears, as demonstrated by the extraordinary reaction to the death of Princess Diana. People of all ages and categories were seen to weep openly. It caught the mood of the whole nation, from which the Royal Family itself, seemed to be strangely detached.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1ARAB_enGB463GB464&q=lady+di+funeral+crowd+images&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiO4qff78LiAhViSBUIHWA4DxcQ7Al6BAgJEA0&biw=1280&bih=881#imgrc=8__o3YQr0KNOqM:

We have recently witnessed how this important natural emotion can be manipulated for political purposes. It has become a feature of the mass demonstrations, either organised or spontaneous, that have followed apparent 'terrorist events' in 'Western' conurbations.

Following the Manchester alleged terrorist attack, the Independent headed up an article with: 

'There were young children crying their eyes out': Survivors of the Manchester bombing relive the horror of the attack. (See: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/manchester-terrorist-attack-what-happened-survivors-eyewitness-accounts-a7752326.html )  

Should this be filed under 'accurate reporting' or 'intentional emotional manipulation'? I'm not too sure.

Any images of genuine emotion immediately following that event are impossible to find. ( For a forensic examination of that suspicious incident see: http://veaterecosan.blogspot.com/2019/05/manchester-bombing-analysed.html )

However I did come across this one of Mrs May, this time fully in control of her emotions, writing a message for the book of condolence for the victims of the attack on Manchester Arena, at Manchester Town Hall. The image is meant to suggest a dignified but sympathetic Prime Minister, which it does. But the contrast with her resignation speech is too obvious to dwell on.

(Reuters)  

Neither Mrs May or Mrs Thatcher were noted for their empathy, or what is termed 'emotional intelligence', in fact both demonstrated their social awkwardness, partly no doubt by having to achieve as a woman, in what is still predominantly a masculine world. Is it that women can only succeed in politics, and possibly other professional arenas, if they ditch their feminine characteristics and ape male ones? Sad if true.

Yet paradoxically men can sometimes do better in the empathy stakes. Who can forget the contrast between Jeremy Corbyn and Mrs May following the Grenfell Tower disaster, captured in the following photograph? Or indeed Mrs May's social awkwardness and strategic miscalculation that was a contributing factor to the disasters of the General Election and Brexit negotiations. 

Doing a party shuffle at the Conservative Party conference only emphasied the defect. If you are not naturally 'cool', it is best not to pretend you are, thus proving you are not!

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1ARAB_enGB463GB464&biw=1280&bih=881&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=76HvXJn_GKKPlwSjgLxo&q=grenfell+mrs+may+images&oq=grenfell+mrs+may+images&gs_l=img.3...2405.2405..3947...0.0..0.97.97.1......0....1..gws-wiz-img.RUUHQPabgbk#imgrc=WwVA5Pb1d3abYM:



Few would question Mrs May's impressive intellectual powers, that enabled her to master her brief and recall endless factual details, skills she regularly employed in Parliament every Wednesday at least. But for social skills and 'emotional intelligence' she has been found sadly wanting. 

It is this more than anything, that has led to her political downfall. Her problem has been the Conservative Party problem. In the context of policy her promises of governing for all has appeared empty and illusory. 

Her time at the Home Office and No 10 has appeared cold, uncaring and more than a touch sinister. Some may think she was the nominee of the secret state, and has been the spokesperson of its policy. 

Brexit was run from the Cabinet Office which is now presided over by Sir Mark Sedwill who worked for her in the Home Office and was her personal choice for his present role without competition. For the first time ever, he combines the roles of Cabinet Secretary, Head of the Civil Service and National Security Adviser!

It is instructive to see that the leading competitor for her job, Boris Johnson, is perhaps her exact alter ego, and that he is seen as the only and last hope to rescue both a Brexit negotiation and the Conservative Party from the edge of irredeemable catastrophe.

Good tears: Queen moved to tears as she unveils memorial to 32 men from one regiment who have died in the last decade.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1ARAB_enGB463GB464&q=queen+tears+britannia&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4kduXicPiAhWcSxUIHUm_DXsQsAR6BAgJEAE&biw=1280&bih=881#imgrc=d7HUWrkl0vHJPM:

Where were her tears at Grenfell? Where were her tears or even concern at the murder of unarmed civilians in Gaza and the West Bank? Where were her tears for the starving of Yemen? Where her tears for the homeless of Britain or for those dying whilst being assessed for 'universal credit' or waiting for hospital treatment?

In the light of the above, we can only conclude that the emotion demonstrated outside No 10 Downing Street was essentially motivated by self-pity and regret. Effectively she felt sorry for herself in contrast with her concern for others.

We may arguably be all 'tarred with the same brush' but evenso, we might expect better from our Prime Minister. In such circumstances I might feel empathy for her loss of office but sadly cannot sympathise with it.