The Archbishop of Canterbury has once again raised eyebrows with his political opinions The Archbishop of Canterbury has once again raised eyebrows with his political opinions. Addressing the General Synod — the Church of England’s annual talking shop — he crassly linked Brexit with what he calls ‘the fascist tradition’. The Most Reverend Justin Welby observed: ‘There are a thousand ways to explain the Brexit vote or the election of President Trump or the strength in the polls in Holland of Geert Wilders or in France of Madame Le Pen [popular Far-Right leaders in each country] and many other leaders in nationalist, populist or even fascist traditions of politics.’ Implying in this roundabout way that the ordinary, decent people who voted for Brexit are somehow marked or tainted by traces of ‘fascism’ is an appallingly ill-considered move. The Archbishop is reckoned an intelligent and well-meaning man, but here, he has revealed something alarming about the way in which he sees the world. Indeed, in their contempt for a democratic result, and their attempts to do everything to thwart it, it’s the Remoaners who might be said to share in the ‘fascist tradition’. And, of course, I accept that Remainers are not closet fascists or Nazis — and neither are Brexit voters. In the same speech in which he made this silly assertion, the Archbishop also lamented: ‘The language of public life at present is deeply, savagely divided and may become worse.’ He’s right about this. The language of public life…more detail
