Two steps forwards, one step back - a thread about #UTurn s

In the early days of the Trump administration I saw many people warning that this was a technique of totalitarian regimes...

1/n

from @washingtonpost an explanation of the technique

"The footwork of the Trump Two-step is simple. Trump takes two steps forward and one back. We stumble and protest his pushy advances, but then relax and celebrate at his easing and apparent reasonableness. Rinse and repeat"

A link to the article - it explains it in full much better than I can

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2018/06/01/we-dance-the-trump-two-step-all-the-way-to-our-demise/
3/n

But a few points. This technique was practised by the totalitarians of the mid-20th century. It was notably used by Stalin, but was also, I believe, used by the Nazis.

It tests how far the govt can push on something, but allows them a safe way back...

4/n

More, they have accustomed people to the idea of something that was previously thought outrageous but whch has now (at least once) been discussed in a serious manner, so changes perception

Allows the govt to distribute largesse, to be the Great Giver that solves problems..

5/n

Right now I am alarmed by the number of people who are repeatedly interpreting this behaviour as chaotic #UTurn behaviour.

As the pulling back of policy that the central team think is inappropriate and disapprove of....

6/n

A kind of "He/she went too far, they ought to be sacked"

and when they aren't, discussions about who is afraid of whom, why the PM is "too scared" to sack this or that person, etc

7/n

I don't wish to get into the semantics - perhaps they are, in reality, #uturn s - but they are ones which were planned before the policy was released.

They were part of the policy and thus the people concerned in implementing them are unlikely to be sacked

8/n

Have also seen many people saying this is weakening the government, but is it? What it is doing is making it appear that the govt is listening to people and responding to their concerns.

For many, this (even though it is fake) will appear to be a plus

"they listened to us"

I have seen good articles listing the #Uturns - and I am sure that many egs can be thought of. I will list here the ones I think are important that I think demonstrate most of the features of this technique.

10/n

1) Prorogue of Parliament. Although this was turned around by court ruling, it tested how far they could go, and how many would bother to protest it

IMO, they learned a lot about what the people of UK would tolerate through this action.

From their POV a mistake then? No
11/

2) Lockdown v Herd Immunity. This is attributed partly to pressure from Macron, &it probably was, but it was a collection of "two steps forwards" actions, all in quick succession, the lockdown we ended up with being much th same as many countries, just devastatingly too late.
12/

3) NHS Student nurse visa fees (May 2020)

To me this is a clear example - it was reasonably cheap to solve and allowed the "largesse" factor to shine through.

(Something similar happened with the floods in December 2019)
13/

4) MP voting during lockdown. The Rees Mogg Conga.

Again - this pushed out on issues around the power of Parliament and the House of Commons...

In the meantime, an important bill was passed while many MPs couldn't vote.

Damage done. Step back

14/

5) Easing of Lockdown - reopening various categories of "normal life" including schools.

This again was a series of micro pushes, slipping in things that seemed unworthy and causing chaos. Many of the characteristics of the "2 steps forward" technique in these.
15/n

6) School Meals vouchers. Yep - a clear demonstration of this policy in its purest form

Make people angry - so start protest groups, start planning demonstrations & signing petitions ...

Then the largesse moment - pay for it - and your public is grateful for your kindness
16/

7) The #Covid19 app. (push on data protection issues - explore how much people care)
8) Dominic Cummings and Barnard Castle. This may have happened accidentally - but the technique was used...

No interview. No explanation, Nothing to see here..

Then

17/

We are granted an audience in the Rose Garden - & that is sold as a concerned govt listening to us....

(not much of a step back - but 1 that diffused, nonetheless)
9) Quarrantine / air bridges. This was used to demonstrate largesse and power - but also to EU countries ..

18/

10) The exam results. Again there were other agendas, including rolling back on equality and fairness. How far could they push this without the country protesting loudly?

They found out - and, remember, finding out was useful for them too.
19/

In all of these, the people we, as onlookers, are calling out & asking to have sacked, are those who were coldly & calculatingly involved in planning these things as a policy that was "One step forward, two steps back"

They are absolutely on message. They won't be sacked.
20/

Stupid
weak
craven
idiots
bumbling fools
chaotic
not thought through
etc

None of these - sorry - it would be more comforting if they applied - but they don't

21/n

This stuff is planned.

They may appear "foolish" bc they are not working to help the people of the UK

It seems that that must be the objective of any sensible government, but it isn't. Not of this one

22/n

Yes, they signed an oath to say that that is what they would work for as MPs etc.

But frankly, they don't care. They are stripping out the Treasury with dud contracts for their mates, and trying to create their own utopia in England /UK
23/n

They are pushing back against Democracy in the UK, testing to see what thy can get away with

Is a technique to allow them to do it with near impunity. It exhausts us, and it tells them what they can get away with easily.

This is planned. It is not chaos, nor stupidity
24/n

What is worrying is that so many are failing to see the pattern, failing to see that this is planned, and thus under-estimating what we are all up against

This is not a bunch of chaotic weak fools in a govt about to collapse.

Sorry - I'd prefer it if it were, too!

25/25

Ps - this is a good article on #uturns that I came across this morning after planning the thread yesterday - it takes a different viewpoint to my own - but is good. https://www.politico.eu/article/8-u-turns-in-8-months-from-boris-johnsons-government/