I haven't posted on here for a very long time, but events are such...
Mr. Clegg is probably being bombarded with advice right now. I'm afraid I'm going to join the cannonade.
First things first, whatever decision is made, it is not going to make everyone happy. It is going to make a lot of people unhappy. The people that the Liberal Democrats have a duty to make happy are the people who granted them a mandate to pursue their manifesto promises. Electoral reform is a keystone of that.
Democracy is not cricket. It is not the Tories' innings.
It is quite clear that any coalition with the Tory party is unlikely to deliver "strong and stable" government. There is not enough trust on either side.
STV isn't going to happen. AV should not happen without a referendum. Labour's offer of electoral reform with putting it to the people is disingenuous, toxic.
Nick Clegg should tell Labour (and the British people) that they must offer a referendum on AV+ (which, after all, has the imprimatur of the Jenkins Commission) for the chance to put together a "rainbow coalition", otherwise he will not vote against a Conservative Queen's Speech.
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About
This blog contains my (occasionally outraged) political and economic ramblings.
The name Systemata is an upraised finger at the insistence of the press on using the malformed 'systemic' at every opportunity. This sort of pedantry is the price one pays for a classical education. More seriously, it is expression of my belief that the problems we face and will continue to face - and also the solutions - are less about people than the systems that they create and operate in.
My political beliefs seem to meander around the political compass. At the moment I'm claiming to be a 'free market socialist'.
The name Systemata is an upraised finger at the insistence of the press on using the malformed 'systemic' at every opportunity. This sort of pedantry is the price one pays for a classical education. More seriously, it is expression of my belief that the problems we face and will continue to face - and also the solutions - are less about people than the systems that they create and operate in.
My political beliefs seem to meander around the political compass. At the moment I'm claiming to be a 'free market socialist'.
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3 comments:
Clegg should crap or get off the pot. He and the rest of the Lib Dem TV botherers are behaving like the crazed publicity obsessives that emerge losers from the Big Brother House, but still want to make their thousands.
The Lib Dems came 3rd. Time they recognised that, acted with some dignity and at least let the party with the most votes and seats have a chance to govern, with or without their help. And if that means an early GE, so will an unelected 2nd PM from the Labour Party.
The longer they keep with the self serving bottom line on PR (not ID cards or Trident, you notice) the more votes they are losing.
Still, what do votes count when you get to be on the tele box every night.
you jealous love?
For me they're simply negotiating on my behalf to get as many of their own policies onto the table (for which they got 23%) while the Tories got 36%.
They should have 162 MPs not 57 - under the current system they'd need to get into the early 40s to actually achieve a majority. Is that right?
I take it Nicola that if you had the choice of two jobs to be a TV presenter yourself you wouldn't hold out for the best offer? Oh no, you'd say `I don't want to be a TV botherer`
What this shows is that Tories squeal when they don't get their own way on 36% of the votes instead of being adult and realising that it's a dynamic position. At the end of the day it's the policies that are important - fair votes, low taxes for the working low earners, lower class sizes to sort out discipline and nurturing kids.
How dare you put PR before the education of my children. How dare you put PR before the financial stability of the country. How dare you put PR before the safety of our communities.
You offered us something 'different'. Well the different has turned out to be sleazy, self interested.
I decided not to vote for Libdem this time. Nick may well be eye candy but his team is weak, unknown, with little experience (apart from Simon and Vince).
A fairer Britian - what a fallacy -life is not fair. I have an autistic son - that's not fair. I had to remortgage my house to fight to get the right school for my son - that's not fair. I don't get carers allowance, my friends do - that's not fair. My son does not get disability allowance - my friends children do - thats not fair. I cant get work - thats not fair.
In reality as a country we cannot afford 'fair'. Very few countries in the world can afford fair unless you tax everyone at 60% of their income. Who do we work for -ourselves and our families or for others?
Shame on you Nick - I thought you would be different.
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