In recent weeks my activity has been below my own expectations, something pointed out to me by many of my colleagues and comrades. I resisted this assertion, but did take my first holiday in some ten years this last week, leaving my excellent Deputy Leader /u/arichteabiscuit as acting Leader of the Opposition. She has done an excellent job opposing the acting Prime Minister, and I am grateful as always to have her by my side.

Yet now with the distance and rest to reflect, I find myself filled with a righteous indignation when I look at the actions of this term.

I cannot remember a less united and more shambolic government in my entire career, impressive given I have seen multiple that contained UKIP. We are faced with a Government that will escalate any foreign conflict they can find an excuse to. We are faced with a Government that will make a mockery of the seriousness of this institution with nonsensical questions and bigoted comments on those with dwarfism. We are faced with a Government that will lie to the press and to the people of Britain.

I have people I still consider friends within this Government, and it pains me to watch them forced to defend this incompetent game of charades attempting to ape Churchill. Yet the conflict that galvanised a "Grand Coalition" in the past does not exist. The only far-right extremists threatening Britain at the moment are calling from inside the house. In the words of Nye Bevan:

"Fascism is not in itself a new order of society. It is the future refusing to be born."

So we see many desperate to deny a future, seeking an imaginary blissful past which never existed. The Government's glasses have been dyed rose-tinted by the blood of millions throughout our past. We see here a Government formed entirely out of the contrarian urge to appeal to some supposed better moment, with no thought given as to the damage that will have not only to Britain's reputation internationally, but to our economy and the general welfare of every Brit.

Make no mistake, the world has been watching, and they have seen nothing but a comedy of errors. Defections, leaks, internal arguments, and the pushing of a blatantly neo-imperialist agenda.

Worse still, we have seen an almost complete lack of substantial policy from this Government. For all the grandstanding the Chancellor liked to do last term, lying that his party produced more legislation than my own, it seems now he could not wrangle a pack of legless cats. He is a laughingstock not only publicly but within his own party, unable to even push policy that was in the Tory manifesto. Worse still, the Foreign Secretary has shown nothing but complete disrespect for her position and Parliament. She wastes time not only with nonsensical questions and insults, but with openly bigoted comments and press.

Shame on each and every one of you who has supported her comments against those with dwarfism. It is not surprising to me that a Tory would see no issue in dehumanising and making a joke those who are different. After all, despite all her claims of supporting LGBTQ people and Pride in general, she did not even show up to a debate regarding bigoted policies in Florida and even voted not to condemn them for what is an ongoing genocide.

I wonder how the many queer members of Labour feel to be sitting alongside so many people who would have no issue with them being erased from existence and history itself. I know I have refused to tolerate any homophobia or transphobia within my party and coalition, and I hoped the Labour party would hold to that same line itself. Instead it stays shamefully silent.

Though this is not to say the Labour Party is innocent in all of this, certain cabinet members have acted with complete ignorance and operated under a complete conflict of ignorance. The Transport Secretary not only pretends the Single Transport Ticket plan does not exist, even having been extended to every devolved nation, but simultaneously holds the position of Transport Secretary in Scotland. This will at least soon hopefully not be an issue with the drama developing there.

I reserve judgment on the new Prime Minister and his leadership, he likewise is taking a much needed vacation. I hope that he, like myself, finds a new perspective on his return. I have worked with Chi on many things in the past, finding solutions that were more nuanced and detailed than either of us had arrived at on our own. I wish him the best and hope he enjoys his tenure more than his predecessor, though I think he will struggle with that in the current situation.

Altogether, I find myself reflecting on the role of an Opposition, something often a point of contention depending on the political realities. We saw last term the Tories insist that an Opposition must be a full throated rejection of everything the Government stands for. We saw Labour in Official Opposition instead insist it was about controlling the narrative, passing their own legislation, and ensuring they remain relevant.

I say we must do both, and that we already have been. We have seen many of our bills reach Royal Assent, and we will continue this. We have submitted many motions to hold this Government to account, motions they have ignored! I do not expect that to change, insistent as they are on an agenda that is as reckless as it is undiscernible. It has been a master class in post hoc justifications for actions with no thought behind them.

I once again call upon those whose minds remain clear and true within the Government to correct the path they have set upon. You deserve better than being demeaned by your colleagues, insulted and mocked publicly by those who should be your most ardent defenders. Perhaps Labour can learn the hard yet correct lesson they have in Scotland, and dissolve this Government before its impact reaches more disastrous levels. I know many wish this, I hear whisperings from within the Cabinet on a daily basis. Yet they have been intimidated into silence, or themselves feel powerless.

It brings me no joy to have to bring this opposition and these accusations against friends of mine, but it is my duty in my position. I had time to catch up on my reading on my holiday, and I think this quote from The Brothers Karamazov sums it all up well:

“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.”

I do not know what my life would be without love, love should be the foundation of all politics. Instead we are living a politics of shame and hate, one I will maintain my position to fight for as long as is necessary.