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Fight Downing Street’s fake stories. But not by playing them at their own game

To get the better of Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings, stop giving oxygen to their lies

Tom Kibasi
Fri 11 Oct 2019 14.39 BSTLast modified on Fri 11 Oct 2019 17.49 BST
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/11/fight-downing-street-fake-stories-boris-johnson-lies

Since the end of the summer, it has become apparent that Downing Street is now a fake news factory. Not a day goes by without a new ludicrous provocation: from threats to break the law at home and punish allies abroad to disobeying the Queen and parliament, there has been a steady drumbeat of dishonesty emanating from No 10.

But just as Boris Johnson and his team rip up the old rules of politics, the rest of us need some new rules of thumb if we are to avoid dancing to their tune. Here’s my first attempt.

First, never rise to their fake stories. The purpose of these planted pieces is not to try and convince people they are true but to dominate the national conversation and thereby occupy a greater share of the public’s attention. It is politics as entertainment: ideas designed to be outrageous precisely so it is captivating and provocative, drawing opponents into sustaining the argument about them for as long as possible. This was exactly how Donald Trump secured the republican presidential nomination in 2016, launching his campaign with a tirade against Mexican migrants and generating a steady drumbeat of outrage ever since. No, the parachute regiment isn’t drawing up plans for an air assault on Brussels, no matter what anonymous No 10 briefings may say. Dismiss Johnson’s fakes fast and refocus the conversation on to substance.

Second, do not amplify their messages with outrage. Demagogues like Johnson and Nigel Farage use transgression of the norms of civil discourse – whether about minorities, women or liberal democracy – as a weapon. Their bigotry is designed to appeal to the base instincts of parts of the electorate and, paradoxically, to establish trust with voters more widely. Blustering politicians develop a reputation for “speaking their mind” or “telling it like it is” precisely because they are willing to break established norms. By manufacturing the illusion that they tell the truth as they see it, they create the impression of being generally truthful. If they are being bigots on purpose, and it is working to their advantage, why do their opponents think it is wise to amplify them in vain attempts to vilify them?

Third, politics is always about the voters, not the politicians. While the recent furore about Johnson’s inflammatory language about his political opponents matters to the quality of our public life and the safety of public servants, it is less important to ordinary voters than the struggles of their daily lives. Stagnating wages, the housing crisis, benefits cuts and degraded public services are the territory where elections are won and lost. Similarly, the moral failings of a candidate seem to count for less than might be imagined. In 2016, Hilary Clinton managed to lose to Trump by focusing on his character in the absence of any memorable economic or social offer of her own. Equally, for many people, Johnson’s poor personal conduct is already “priced in”. Focus on the voters and what matters to them in their lives.

Fourth, fight fire with cold water and bluster with ridicule. A central weakness of this particular brand of politician is that they are lazy and incapable of attention to detail. Witness Johnson falling apart when questioned about Gatt 24 by Andrew Neil or Farage’s inability to identify a single country that trades exclusively on WTO terms. Rather than rising to their rhetoric, challenge these deceitful politicians on the detail of their plans – and watch them fall to pieces. Respond to their bluster with ridicule since humour has always been one of the most powerful forces to face down demagogy.

Granted, Johnson has long been able to turn audiences laughing at him to his advantage: his supporters seem to find his bumbling foibles amusing and charming. But a shift towards a more aggressive brand of bluster is eminently more ridiculous. Take inspiration from PG Wodehouse’s Roderick Spode, the leader of the “black shorts”, and from Private Eye rather than codes of civility. Michelle Obama’s injunction “when they go low, we go high” might make progressives feel good, but it isn’t good enough.

Fifth, match their message discipline. Johnson and his allies are remarkably effective at pivoting back to their messages in even the toughest interviews. In contrast, remainer politicians indulge themselves by offering their latest opinion on whether a referendum should come before or after a general election or who might take what position in a fantasy “government of national unity”. Commentators go unchallenged when they obtusely say Labour’s Brexit policy is too complicated when “let the people decide” couldn’t be simpler. On domestic policy, Labour needs to stop the cacophony and speak with a clear voice. The Tories, Brexit party and Liberal Democrats have all become single-issue parties. They have a powerful incentive to keep the national conversation solely focused on the UK’s departure from the EU. Without much greater message discipline from Labour, they will succeed.

So far, most of the media and Johnson’s political opponents have failed to adapt to the new era. The Tories’ poll ratings have steadily risen because their tricks are working. Most ordinary people don’t pay that much attention to politics, but the idea that Johnson will stop at nothing to get Brexit done but the “remainer elite” is doing everything to stop him has plainly cut through.

The reality is far from that: just like Theresa May, Johnson has so far failed to deliver Brexit; he hides behind bluster and empty threats; and he has no vision for the country in the 2020s. No deal isn’t a destination, but a plan to negotiate a deal from a weaker position after an economic shock that costs jobs and perhaps even lives. But that truth won’t be widely understood if we all continue to dance along to Johnson, Dominic Cummings and their band. Because for now, the devil has all the best tunes.

• Tom Kibasi is a writer and researcher on politics and economics. He is writing in a personal capacity

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/11/fight-downing-street-fake-stories-boris-johnson-lies