They are. The coalition was an absolute disaster - but it’s easy to say that in hindsight. At the time, they were under immense pressure to form a government due to fears about ‘stability’ for the ‘markets’. And there was only one option there.
And if that AV referendum had gone differently, maybe we’d have a completely different view. Maybe there’s some merit in saying you have to take those shots on goal when you get there, because otherwise nothing will ever change.
It’s quite possible Brexit destroys one or both of the major parties. That hasn’t happened yet - but both are trying to offload the political hot potato now. I maintain this could end any number of ways; one of the more terrible outcomes at least has a shakeup of British politics as a consolation prize.
Corbyn said a short time ago that in a general election the party, not he, would decide whether Labour was for or against Brexit. Is he signaling a change with that answer, or has he said that before?
wavey
2863
And when those goals are as lofty as plastic bag charges, sometimes you have no option but to throw society’s poorest under the bus along the way.
wavey
2865
FWIW I voted for them in that election (I refused to vote for New Labour any more after they invaded Iraq) so I spent 2010-15 kind of horrified and ashamed.
Take more in from the plastic bags and spend less on the poor. Clever and evil.
Slight amendment to previous post
DUP - Build the wall and paint a UDA mural on it.
Likewise. Then I voted for ‘Red Ed’ and his coalition of chaos. Following his loss the entire political system appeared to upend itself with Corbyn, then Brexit, and I reverted back to the Lib Dems in quiet desperation.
Labour, SNP and Lib Dems ask May to rule out ‘no deal’. (This is tantamount to asking her to commit to revoking Article 50 if a deal cannot be reached.)
This does not appear to have happened…
Yeah, parliament’s random yelling always reminds me of the first episode of Star Trek: TNG where Q puts humanity on trial, and he has a bunch of unruly people all around yelling.
It’s patriarchal and misogynistic, favouring loud, deep male voices, and imitating boyish, schoolyard behaviour. Theres some interesting articles from I believe Caroline Lucas and some women Labour MPs on the unpleasantness of the working environment if you aren’t an old boy private school toff.
spiffy
2875
I mean, that’s her entire leverage. Agree to my deal, or no deal. Without that, she’s got nothing to push with.
On a plus side it’s much more entertaining to watch than the US Congress. I mean, the end result is the same (nobody does anything) but at least Parliament kind of looks like it’s actively doing something.
If that’s really all she’s got, no wonder we’re in this mess!
Mike everyone up, make Hansards voice to text, and ensure every MP has to sign off on the days Hansard. Initialling a few thousand pages of “hhrhurhruhruhruhrhr” “booooooooooooo” “wufwufuwfuwfuwf” “yheyhyehyheyeh” will shut the farmyard up.
I dunno. I think, say, Bill Cash would be happy to put his name to it.
Amen to that Sir.
Did you see the last 2 speeches before the vote that are getting lots of attention in the media today, by Tom Watson and Michael Gove? They were excellent.
Watson spent about 10 minutes tearing Theresa May to shreds, then Gove took over and tore Corbyn a new a-hole.
May looked like she was about to burst into tears. Corbyn looked like he was about to shit himself.
I found myself agreeing with nearly every word Watson and Gove said.
Our main political parties are now led by useless, unintelligent extremist nutjobs. Yuck.
