Brown in Unity Call
Gordon Brown has called for unity after it has become apparent that the plotters within the labor party against Blair (that would be most of the party these days - strange after these sort of events how every one was always on the victorious side) have broken cover, see BBC story.
Now if the person who is going to benefit the most from regime change is calling for unity you know the days are numbered. A letter has been sent to the parties NEC calling for a time table for Blairs exit. I think two things are likely to happen. Tony Blair will fight to hang on. He will fail. The mood in the party has now changed and all the MP's who have been muttering in the dark are starting to talk in public. The 50 signitaries to the letter are not the usual suspects. They are not the usual left wing complainers from the Campaign group. It is the traditional Blairites who are increasingly afraid of their jobs.
The sad thing is in the 80's I was in the party and was on the side of reform. Now I'm just plain angry that I no longer recognise the party and that even getting rid of Blair will not bring it back.
The problem is the arrogance of the party these days, the attack on the civil liberties, the lies about the war, the putting at risk the lives of British Soldiers for a lie, the abuse of power in a managerial style. I wouldn't even mind if they were competent but when Charles Clarke loses 1000+ prisoners you have to doubt their ability. For too long the party has used the bogey man of, "well you wouldn't want the Tories back now would you?"
For christ sake where is the party I joined? The party that was on the side of the working people, the party that was on the side of social justices, the party that wanted to heal the divisions of a nation in debt up to its eyeballs and addicted to greed. When the hell did a Labour Prime Minister start beliveving that greed was good?
Yes the basics, the economy etc I'm happy with. But I refuse to support a leader who stood up in parliament and effectivly leid to the house of commons, the nation and too me in order to get us to go to war. The 45 minute claim was either incompetence or a lie and he should have gone then.
The core voters are feed up with him and at last the MP's are getting the message. I know in my heart of hearts he is going to fight to stay, but for god sake do the decent thing and don't go down in history as yet another Prime Minister who out stayed his welcome and didn't get the message.
Now if the person who is going to benefit the most from regime change is calling for unity you know the days are numbered. A letter has been sent to the parties NEC calling for a time table for Blairs exit. I think two things are likely to happen. Tony Blair will fight to hang on. He will fail. The mood in the party has now changed and all the MP's who have been muttering in the dark are starting to talk in public. The 50 signitaries to the letter are not the usual suspects. They are not the usual left wing complainers from the Campaign group. It is the traditional Blairites who are increasingly afraid of their jobs.
The sad thing is in the 80's I was in the party and was on the side of reform. Now I'm just plain angry that I no longer recognise the party and that even getting rid of Blair will not bring it back.
The problem is the arrogance of the party these days, the attack on the civil liberties, the lies about the war, the putting at risk the lives of British Soldiers for a lie, the abuse of power in a managerial style. I wouldn't even mind if they were competent but when Charles Clarke loses 1000+ prisoners you have to doubt their ability. For too long the party has used the bogey man of, "well you wouldn't want the Tories back now would you?"
For christ sake where is the party I joined? The party that was on the side of the working people, the party that was on the side of social justices, the party that wanted to heal the divisions of a nation in debt up to its eyeballs and addicted to greed. When the hell did a Labour Prime Minister start beliveving that greed was good?
Yes the basics, the economy etc I'm happy with. But I refuse to support a leader who stood up in parliament and effectivly leid to the house of commons, the nation and too me in order to get us to go to war. The 45 minute claim was either incompetence or a lie and he should have gone then.
The core voters are feed up with him and at last the MP's are getting the message. I know in my heart of hearts he is going to fight to stay, but for god sake do the decent thing and don't go down in history as yet another Prime Minister who out stayed his welcome and didn't get the message.
posted by gerbil at 11:11 am
7 Comments:
Lots of the same stuff going on over here. Are the Tories offering anything concrete? Can you please help me understand how the UK system works? Isn't there some sort of "recall Mechanism?"
Post about Basra here...
http://theaginghipster.blogspot.com/2006/05/british-clash-in-basra.html
I saw your post, good photo (just wouldnt wanted to have been the squaddie whoes fallen over. Worse case scenario dangerous, best case scenario how embaressing is that).
I have been thinking recently about doing a blog on the system. But in prinicple we have a parliamentry system. There are, i think 650, constituencies that each elect one MP (like you its first past the post). The party with the largest number of seats gets invited by her maj to form a government. Unlike you the the executive in case, the Queen, has limited powers - mainly she has the power to wave at people and look slightly miffed. The excutive powers are held by the Prime Minister. Who is the leader of the majority party. He decides when to call an election so we don't have fixed terms. The PM can be turned out of office if his party decide to get rid of him or he loses a vote of no confidence or the majority of the parliament.
The system is bigger and more complicated than that but thats it in a nut shell. Thing is it used to be a fantastic blend off aristocratic and democratic principles that weirdly worked. Now its falling apart at the seams and its that that i was tinkg of blogging about. As a system it has evolved and developed since 1066 but i think we need a new constitutional settlement. We still have heridetary lords who can be part of the legislature and executive.
Gads! That system sounds complicated. I am not critical of it, it is just confusing to me.
I am just used to big four running the government: (1) Executive Branch, (2) Legislator Branch ((3) Judicial Branch, and last but not weakest (4) The Lobby Branch.
So, Is TB going to get it now? Are they going to "sack him" as you all say. We say "run his ass off from here."
Well he is going (he unusally for a British PM said that the last election - last year - was going to be his last.) The worst kept secret in British Polictis is that when TB stood for party leader he made a deal with Gordon Brown that if the one the 97 election TB would PM and GB chancellor (man with the money). Eventually it is alledge TB would stand down and GB would take over - You would think the electorate might want to have a say in this but what the hell. On top of TB's genral unpopularity amongst what i think of as right thinking people every one wants to know when TB is going to hand over.
The plotters seem to, well at the moment any way, over played their hand at the moment. TB is in the last chance salon though and the next 'bad' story that hits the press and keeps on running he is toast. GB will take over but he will be just the same to be honest.
I honestly think If democracy is not renewed in this country (not by the blood of tyrants hopefully - sod it thats the tree of liberty I got my allusions(???) mixed up) this country is heading for some serious constitutional issues.
god i wish you could edit these things
ET I have probably explained it badly but yes it is complicated to the outsider, and to many insiders for that matter. Like so many differnces between the US and UK the differences are suprisingly small believe it or not. But the impact of those differences is of a profound scale. I had the mixed pleasure of teaching comparative US/UK Government and politics for a couple years and it was quite instructive to see people struggling with the differences.
To this day though when ever i wonder if i have ever done any good in the world i just remember one comment from a student who said, "Thanks, I can watch the news now and actually understand whats going on." That makes me feel good;)
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