A prime minister hanging on by a thread, the resurgence of Ann Widdecombe and a political makeover for the humble milkshake – Britain in 2019 is in a right old state.
How did it come to this? Well, let’s blame it on Brexit. And now, after more than two years of arguing and wrangling, it’s so bad that each side is eating itself.
Take this latest episode of devastating cringe-ness.
On Tuesday, a Brexit-supporting MP was called a liar by a member of the public – who then returned fire by slagging them off on live TV.
This was the sorry state of affairs caught by a BBC camera crew yesterday when Tory MP David Davies took umbrage at a member of the public filming him on her phone.
What followed is one of the most remarkable Brexit-related exchanges yet (in full below), as the woman branded Davies a “liar”, and the elected official responded by calling her a “keyboard warrior”.
Davies was being interviewed outside Westminster when he was asked how he usually responded to being heckled by members of the public…
The problem of hecklers outside Westminster has reared its head numerous times in recent months, and not always in quite an entertaining fashion as this exchange.
In January, Tory MP Anna Soubry was called a “Nazi” by protestors chanting near a live BBC News broadcast outside parliament.
As for Davies, well, he’s no stranger to confrontation having once suggested the army should be sent into migrant settlements around Calais and migrants should be shipped to “humane camps” in Africa and the Middle East.
He also once called for tests on teeth to verify the age of child refugees.
And to top it off, in 2012 he attempted to refute accusations that he is homophobic, by posting a video showing him punching a gay man in the face.
Here’s the confrontation in full:
BBC: “How does it make you feel?”
DAVIES: “Well obviously what I would do is record it, so I’m actually going to turn my camera on now to record this lady and I will put anything abusive on to Twitter.”
BYSTANDER: “Why’s he feeling intimidated? Well you’ve got a bloody big camera there on him for God’s sake, what’s the difference with my phone?”
BBC: “Because when you’re talking to…”
BYSTANDER: “I was quiet and you guys just stopped talking… I was quiet. I was just going to listen to what he was saying but now I can tell he’s a Remoaner. He must be a – did you vote Remain? Are you an MP?”
DAVIES: “I am an MP.”
BYSTANDER: “Did you vote Remain?”
DAVIES: “No, I voted to Leave actually.”
BYSTANDER: “Well I don’t know, why are you acting like aa snowflake then? Do you know what a snowflake…”
DAVIES: “I am not a snowflake.”
BYSTANDER: “Well you are because you’re intimidated by me.”
DAVIES: “I’m not intimidated by you, you’ve just made a false allegation.”
BYSTANDER: “Of what?”
DAVIES: “Well I don’t know.”
BYSTANDER: “Have you done something to be accused of?”
DAVIES: “So anyway, funnily enough I think this lady is actually on the Brexit side, which is my side of the argument. But basically it’s the same…”
BYSTANDER: “You’re not acting like a Brexiteer. You’re being very – no, if you are a Brexiteer. No honestly, if you’re a Brexiteer then this is how, this is what Brexiteres have been…”
DAVIES: “I campaigned for Brexit. Where were you? Where were you people when I was out campaigning for Brexit? You were nowhere. You were behind your keyboards and now you’ve come out. You are not a Brexiteer.”
BYSTANDER: “You obviously haven’t watched my footage then.”
DAVIES: “I actually was campaigning for Brexit and have been for years, so I don’t need to be given lectures by people like you.”
BYSTANDER: “Did you vote for the deal?”
DAVIES: “I did vote for the deal.”
BYSTANDER: “You voted for the deal! Oh my God! And have you read the deal?”
DAVIES: “Yeah I read the deal.”
BYSTANDER: “And it means not to Leave. Great. And it means we don’t leave. So you’re a liar. You did not vote to Leave.”
DAVIES: “There we are then. I tell you what, people like you make me want to join the EU again.”
BYSTANDER: “Have you read it? See I’ve read the withdrawal agreement unlike this man who’s an MP, and what was your name then if you’re an MP.”
DAVIES: “Never mind what my name is, I’m not talking to you.”
BYSTANDER: “Well I guess i’ll find out when I watch the BBC, the lying BBC. So he voted for the deal and he’s pretending like he’s a leaver. What a liar. You’re a liar. Shame on you. You’re a traitor. You signed that document. Don’t even say it’s…”
DAVIES: “And that’s what you put up with when you’re out here all the time. There’s another one over here now.”
BYSTANDER: “I mean I think you picked the wrong job if you can’t cope with somebody walking along…”
DAVIES: “I can cope with that. I can sit here all day to be honest with you.”
BYSTANDER: “I don’t know, you seem a little agitated.”
DAVIES: “I’m not agitated. You’re the person…”
BYSTANDER: “Is that what a traitor feels like? You should feel uncomfortable, you’ve betrayed 17.4m people.”
DAVIES: “What have you done for your country? I spent 10 years in uniform for my country.”
BYSTANDER: “Well you shouldn’t keep telling me what you – because so far you’re not impressing me. If you served your country then you should know about sovereignty.”
DAVIES: “Yeah I should.”
BYSTANDER: “You should know about democracy.”
DAVIES: “I know about people with big mouths and access to keyboards as well.”
BYSTANDER: “Do you hear this guy? Listen to him. So what position did you get to in your army career?”
DAVIES: “Not interested in talking to you.”
BYSTANDER: “You’re the one who’s opening his big mouth and accusing me of things.”
DAVIES: “Ha ha ha, I’m the one opening my mouth? I’m the one opening my big mouth?”
BYSTANDER: “Tell me. Tell me what…”
DAVIES: “I’m not interested in talking to you.”
BYSTANDER: “Well you’re an MP for God’s sake. You’re a Member of Parliament.”
DAVIES: “Well I’m not your MP, am I?”
BYSTANDER: “Thank God.”
DAVIES: “Carry on, let’s do a bit in Welsh.”
BYSTANDER: “So this man, he claims he voted for Brexit but he signed the deal. He voted for the deal. That is a total betrayal of Brexit. You know what? No. no,. listen, you guys are a disgrace as well. How much have you been paid? How much have the BBC been paid to promote the European Union?”