Should he stay or should he go?

[Harrowby Hall]

Actually, it is quiet worrying that despite all, Starmer does not seem to be making policies and taking stands that are explainable and graspable by the general public.

But what can you expect? Our First-Past-The-Post voting system and insistence that our legislature should occupy a simulated medieval church choir means that we are stuck with a parliamentary system which adversarial in operation and tribal in its philosophical basis..

[Aruntraveller]

But what can you expect? Our First-Past-The-Post voting system and insistence that our legislature should occupy a simulated medieval church choir means that we are stuck with a parliamentary system which adversarial in operation and tribal in its philosophical basis..

Very true. Much though I'm a Labour supporter I'm hoping that at the next election we have a hung parliament leading to some sort of coalition between LD's & Labour that leads to real electoral reforms.

I am aware that is quite a lot of heavy lifting that my hope has to do right there.

[Udayana]

I think I'd call it more like 'desperately worrying that there doesn't seem to be anyone  anywhere who inspires.

Not sure inspiration is required.

The groundwork has to be done: This means honestly assessing the situation as it is now and to put together plans which will benefit the whole of society, not special groups or interests. The compromises and trade-offs must be explicitly made clear and be reasoned. It must be obvious that the policies will work to meet the objectives set and be implementable without causing unmanageable side effects.   

Then, if there, inspiration would be great.
 

[Udayana]

But what can you expect? Our First-Past-The-Post voting system and insistence that our legislature should occupy a simulated medieval church choir means that we are stuck with a parliamentary system which adversarial in operation and tribal in its philosophical basis..

That is the system we have. Before it can be changed, any government that wants to change it has to be elected under it.

[Udayana]

Very true. Much though I'm a Labour supporter I'm hoping that at the next election we have a hung parliament leading to some sort of coalition between LD's & Labour that leads to real electoral reforms.

I am aware that is quite a lot of heavy lifting that my hope has to do right there.

I think the different parties should already be talking to each other about how electoral reform could be addressed. I'd go for a plan for a citizens assembly to consider it, consult and propose an updated system in the next parliament. Then the election could be fought in the normal way, with or without tactical voting, other deals between parties or coalitions?

Our tribal/adversarial system doesn't mean that everyone has to be unreasonable all the time.

 

[Aruntraveller]

I think the different parties should already be talking to each other about how electoral reform could be addressed.

Unfortunately, unless I've missed something the Labour party is uninterested in electoral reform, except for this group within Labour:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Campaign_for_Electoral_Reform

This is slightly encouraging but I don't detect any support for the idea by the party leadership.

That would leave the Greens talking to the Libdems, so unless there is a seismic shift in who the voters choose it won't get us very far.

[SteveH]

Very true. Much though I'm a Labour supporter I'm hoping that at the next election we have a hung parliament leading to some sort of coalition between LD's & Labour that leads to real electoral reforms.

I am aware that is quite a lot of heavy lifting that my hope has to do right there.

British progressive politics is bedevilled by its fissiparous tendency. The Lib Dems and Labour should have amalgamated years ago, and then there's the Greens and the Nationalist parties... The Tories manage to stay as one party. Why can't the left?

[Harrowby Hall]

British progressive politics is bedevilled by its fissiparous twndency. The Lib Dems and Labour should have amalgamated years ago, and then there's the Greens and the Nationalist parties... The Tories manage to stay as one party. Why can't the left?

British progressive politics is bedevilled by a voting system reducing all political activity into two megaparties which are not representative of the population. Effective governance is not provided when just two large clumps mouth insults at each other. The interests of the majority of the population are not well served by "left" or "right" but by "centre".

[Udayana]

Unfortunately, unless I've missed something the Labour party is uninterested in electoral reform, except for this group within Labour:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Campaign_for_Electoral_Reform

This is slightly encouraging but I don't detect any support for the idea by the party leadership.

That would leave the Greens talking to the Libdems, so unless there is a seismic shift in who the voters choose it won't get us very far.

One suspects that Labourites find more satisfaction in arguing ideological points between themselves than in trying to progress real progressive change in the country/world.

The complete inability of Starmer to answer simple questions in a comprehensible way also points to this.

[Udayana]

British progressive politics is bedevilled by a voting system reducing all political activity into two megaparties which are not representative of the population. Effective governance is not provided when just two large clumps mouth insults at each other. The interests of the majority of the population are not well served by "left" or "right" but by "centre".

Based on Johnson's interview by Mishal Husain (Today programme), he is going to continuing treating the public as idiots. As this seems to work for him maybe the majority of the population just deserve this shoddy state of affairs?

[SqueakyVoice]

Based on Johnson's interview by Mishal Husain (Today programme), he is going to continuing treating the public as idiots. As this seems to work for him...

Now, he's the first rat refusing to flee a sinking ship.

[Gordon]

Now, he's the first rat refusing to flee a sinking ship.

In which case let's hope he drowns, and takes his government and party with him.

[Aruntraveller]

One suspects that Labourites find more satisfaction in arguing ideological points between themselves than in trying to progress real progressive change in the country/world.

The complete inability of Starmer to answer simple questions in a comprehensible way also points to this.

This, from Burnham is interesting, and as he notes the grassroots are in favour of PR, just need to persuade the leadership.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/25/why-its-time-for-labour-to-back-proportional-representation?

[Udayana]

This, from Burnham is interesting, and as he notes the grassroots are in favour of PR, just need to persuade the leadership.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/25/why-its-time-for-labour-to-back-proportional-representation?

Yes, I agree with all or most of that.
 

[Aruntraveller]

’A shiver is going around the (Johnson) cabinet looking for a spine to run down”.
Andrew Rawnsley in The Observer

[Nearly Sane]

Epic trolling on BJ by the Chinese

[jeremyp]

Epic trolling on BJ by the Chinese

Although, ironically, I believe the first statement is true and the second statement is a lie.

[Aruntraveller]

Carrie Johnson will be 35 on her next birthday. It doesn't seem 5 minutes since she was crawling around on her hands and knees in the office.

FB

[Aruntraveller]

You wait for ages for a resignation and then two come along at once:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-62048657

[Nearly Sane]

And both try to walk away with blood dripping from hands. Culpable. It's what you supported.

[Aruntraveller]

And both try to walk away with blood dripping from hands. Culpable. It's what you supported.

Yes. It's taken them so long. This should have happened over the handling of covid not the handling of bottoms.

[Nearly Sane]

Yes. It's taken them so long. This should have happened over the handling of covid not the handling of bottoms.

Both of them are pricks. That Johnson is a lying prick, and has been for years, while they supported him, just shows why they are also lying pricks.

[Gordon]

I see Dorries the Brain-Dead says she " I am 💯 behind
@BorisJohnson the PM who consistently gets all the big decisions right." - utterly laughable.

Let's hope there are enough Tory MPs who are prepared to dispense with Johnson and his cabinet of assorted fuckwits, such as Dorries.

[Nearly Sane]

I see Dorries the Brain-Dead says she " I am 💯 behind
@BorisJohnson the PM who consistently gets all the big decisions right." - utterly laughable.

Let's hope there are enough Tory MPs who are prepared to dispense with Johnson and his cabinet of assorted fuckwits, such as Dorries.

Doesn't really make much difference though. If the lying prick goes he will be replaced  by another one.

[Gordon]

Doesn't really make much difference though. If the lying prick goes he will be replaced  by another one.

True