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When the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois in Canada tried to suggest a coalition to oust the minority Conservative administration the public backlash was immense.
They cannot get PR through in time for the next election, so the electorate will punish them for it when the next General Election occurs within 12 months.
A Lab-Lib coalition is the last thing the country voted for
So just when the negotiations between the Conservatives and the Lib Dems were reportedly yielding good progress, it turns out that the Lib Dems are also opening up talks with Labour, now that Gordon Brown is resigning. Is this a tactical move to seek further concessions from the ongoing negotiat...
I think it's more of an indictment of the personnel rather than the technology. There will always be ways for the perverted to satisfy themselves.
A worker at Heathrow abuses body scanner technology. Who'dathunkit?
You may recall that Big Brother Watch has raised various objections to body scanners. Prime amongst them privacy concerns and the potential abuse of the images generated by these machines. Don't worry, we were told. These are in the hand of serious, trained professionals, we were told. "I told...
Immigration has been a problem for years, why is number one for them now? We have fought campaigns on tough immigration for years, this is showing something new, not the same old same old that tarred us so heavily in 2005.
The number of those switching from Labour to BNP will be far less than Labour supporters coming to us for the reasons set above.
BNP are a protest vote, not a policy vote. That requires an entirely different strategy than this one; this campaign is focussed on people who want their vote to actually count for something.
Ten reasons to vote Conservative (if you've "never voted Tory before")
You can read the full document here but posted below is a new leaflet offering ten reasons to vote Tory* if you've never voted Tory before. Click on the image to enlarge. I'm surprised the leaflet doesn't mention the environment. I'm disappointed it doesn't mention immigration. Tim Montgomerie ...
This is reasons to vote Tory if you haven't voted Tory before. The Conservatives have long been known to be the toughest on immigration of the 2 1/2 main parties. Do you know of someone who has voted for Labour or the Lib Dems because the Conservatives are soft on immigration?
Ten reasons to vote Conservative (if you've "never voted Tory before")
You can read the full document here but posted below is a new leaflet offering ten reasons to vote Tory* if you've never voted Tory before. Click on the image to enlarge. I'm surprised the leaflet doesn't mention the environment. I'm disappointed it doesn't mention immigration. Tim Montgomerie ...
The link between ruling on a case in a jury and scrutinising legislation is somewhat tenuous. A jury is under obligation to disregard any personal prejudices and focus solely on the facts presented to them when they pass judgement, if a juror cannot they cannot serve. But political opinions are bound to affect which "experts" are called, which advocate the "citizens chamber" prefers, and in the end which way the vote goes. It also makes elected politicians even more like lawyers, and furthermore copies two aspects of Westminster that are most derided; firstly, standing committees of the Commons I have not heard an academic arguement in favour of keeping them as opposed to handing their jobs to select committees for the expertise they hold. Secondly, this proposal is essentially government by focus group, codified into our constitution.
However, the randomness principle I believe does have some merit, but more to use it as a way to add a degree of deligitmacy to the Upper Chamber.
Essentially, a set number of seats are assigned to the Upper Chamber, say 500, and then the electoral register is divided at random between each seat, so each Lord has an equal number of random citizens voting for them. The candidates do not know who their voters are, which will aid in taking party politics out of the equation, and will encourage those with expertise to seek election on that basis. The chamber then becomes a scrutinising and reviewing chamber only, elected by the people, but with no possible threat to the commons, since it lacks the legitimacy of being elected to represent either a set constituency of voters, a distinct political party or a policy platform.
Obviously there would need to be a lot more to this proposal to make it really work, which I can share if anyone wants to find out more, but I think it shows how randomisation can be used to select the Upper Chamber and imbue it with the characteristics we believe it should hold.
Random Power
The social attitudes survey has gone to my head, a bit. Everyone sees in it what they want to see, anyway, so I choose to see: no-one's that fussed about gay people anymore, and we'd all like to pay less tax, thanks. Finally I'm riding the zeitgeist (baby). Fetch me my beads, I'm off to Tory co...
I always thought the SDP were the lefties in that coalition. The remaining Liberal rump are actually Eurosceptic
When things couldn't get worse for the Lib Dems: a study suggests they would lose out under PR
The Lib Dems have not had a great week - and Graeme Archer posted a great piece about the party here earlier which is well worth reading. But now my attention has been drawn to a piece of analysis by Tony Travers of the LSE for the IPPR which suggests that under elections held under more proport...
I think it's pretty clear. A lion in front of a rising sun
European Conservatives and Reformists unveil new logo
Today the European Conservatives and Reformists Group in Brussels, of which the British Conservatives are now part in the European Parliament, unveiled its new logo, as above. The lion bears something of a resemblance to one of the Landseer lions found at the bottom of Nelson's column in Trafal...
How long does a planning permit usually take? The ability to pay for prioritisation is already being used elsewhere in government, and as long as the timeframe is not muh longer I'm sure you could do the same. I needed a Criminal Records Check before I applied for a Canadian Working Visa, and you could pay 10 quid for a 3 month wait, 35 for 2 weeks or around 70 for 3 days.
EasyCouncil model could mean paying extra for quick planning decision
Tony Travers suggests that part of Barnet's EasyCouncil model could mean that you pay a higher fee for a planning application in return for getting it prioritised for a quicker decision. I can see the analogy. As with a low cost airline you pay a bit extra if you want something more than the b...
I became conservative aged 9 on the basis of education policy, before the 1997 election. My local secondary schools were poor to say the least, and after my sister got an assisted place to go to private school, that was the plan for me as well. Then Labour came along and scrapped assisted places, making my chance at getting the best education possible that much harder. My mother was then working two jobs, and through her own hard efforts, she somehowfound the means to pay for me to go to a great school, as well as using the Right-To-Buy scheme to get out of the council housing system. That experience forms the core of my beliefs now
How I became a Conservative
The photo was kindly taken by Melissa O'Sullivan at a recent private dinner hosted by John O'Sullivan to celebrate Lady Thatcher's coming to power. I was able to tell the great lady how I became a Tory because of her decision to face down the unilateralists of CND. My teacher had told me that n...
I've never trusted ComRes
Rogue poll?
In The Independent.
Do not confuse libertarianism for anarchism. Seems to be what Boy George is doing
Conservative and Libertarian
I was a bit mystified when George Osborne, in an otherwise splendid defence of capitalism today, said this: "We are a Conservative Party not a libertarian party. As both I and David Cameron have argued, Conservatives have always understood the limitations of free markets on their own. We underst...
From what the Government have come out with in opposition, the Right-To-Move has left Labour thinking "Shit, why didn't we think of that?"
The Right to Move
By Neil O’Brien, Director of Policy Exchange. This morning, Conservative Housing Minister Grant Shapps will announce proposals to give housing tenants the right to move around England without losing their accommodation. This could be as big a shift as Mrs Thatcher’s “Right to Buy” policy - an...
This meeting has been a long-time coming
Harper and Cameron hold first meeting
Stephen Harper may have missed the G20 photograph but his first meeting with Tory leader was captured on camera. The talks between Mr Cameron and Prime Minister Harper focused on the economy and Afghanistan but also how the Canadian Conservative Party had reached out to ethnic communities. Cana...
did somebody write "not in my name" next to that picture of a banker's effigy?
What I found from dealing with Trots at the University of Manchester is that they are all mouth and no trousers.
Don't dress like a banker for a few days
I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to attend the demo highlighted by Iain Murray and my advice to anyone in the City and central London is to consider whether they want to look like a banker over the next few days. These are two posters I 'iPhoned' earlier. I hear that razor blades have been put b...
My apologies then Mr Carswell, I will seek it out before passing further comment.
Douglas Carswell gives the useless, futile, unaccountable and smug House of Commons a Z-rating
Douglas Carswell MP has marked nearly four years as an MP with an A to Z guide to Parliament on his blog. It amounts to an extraordinary attack on the "futility" of the Commons. Here are some of his conclusions: A is for... Accountable, something many of our MPs are not... C is for ... Comm...
It is easy to criticise, but harder to actually make something better. If Mr Carswell is so disillusioned with the seat of democracy, he should spend his time contributing to the debate on how to actually improve the House, and maybe even try and do some good, rather than thinking up ways around the Q,X and Z problem that all alphabet lists have to get around.
Douglas Carswell gives the useless, futile, unaccountable and smug House of Commons a Z-rating
Douglas Carswell MP has marked nearly four years as an MP with an A to Z guide to Parliament on his blog. It amounts to an extraordinary attack on the "futility" of the Commons. Here are some of his conclusions: A is for... Accountable, something many of our MPs are not... C is for ... Comm...
Opinicus
That fact remains that because of strong party discipline and our party based government, the House of Commons will never be able to provide sufficient scrutiny of the Government, unless you want to change that system too. In any account, the British system is so strong for it's strength in depth of scrutiny; removing a vital layer will mean government by popular whim as opposed to good representative government.
Let me be clear, I do not support prime ministerial patronage to the Upper House. I detailed in depth early on in this thread my own proposal for the House of Lords. In short, it is directly elected but has a different, more restricted, mandate than that issued to the House of Commons, and it's members will be a different kind of representative.
How would you reform the House of Lords?
Iain Dale’s timely blog post about the need for Bishops sitting in the House of Lords to avoid party politics has got me thinking. Am I alone in noticing that the issue of House of Lords reform has almost completely disappeared from the political agenda? Firstly, I can understand, even if ...
Unicameralism is not an option. The only major world nation to have a unicameral legislature is.... China, and we know how representative they are.
Among the others are Cuba, Iraq, East Timor, Sri Lanka and the Vatican.
A bicameral legislature is essential for good government and proper scrutiny in as large a country as ours where representation is more important; you need to have a check on the uncontrolled populism and majority rule of the House of Commons
How would you reform the House of Lords?
Iain Dale’s timely blog post about the need for Bishops sitting in the House of Lords to avoid party politics has got me thinking. Am I alone in noticing that the issue of House of Lords reform has almost completely disappeared from the political agenda? Firstly, I can understand, even if ...
Graeme,
"I don't see any way of electing the second chamber that would not put it into conflict with the Commons. Wishing this weren't so would do nothing to avoid the impasse."
I see this as possible. You take away the best parts of HoC representation i.e. the direct link to a constituency and the constant renewal through re-election, thus making Lords less "legitimate" than the Commons and unable to challenge it on that grounds. See my proposal above for more details on how I can see this being achieved
How would you reform the House of Lords?
Iain Dale’s timely blog post about the need for Bishops sitting in the House of Lords to avoid party politics has got me thinking. Am I alone in noticing that the issue of House of Lords reform has almost completely disappeared from the political agenda? Firstly, I can understand, even if ...
Cleethorpe Rock wrote:
- Independent from the whips and parties
- Consist of high achievers from business, the Armed Forces, Science, Medicine, charities, public service, voluntary sector.
- Long terms of office
- No possibility of re-election/serve one term only
These terms suggested I agree with. The trouble of no salary returns us to a Victorian situation where only the rich can sit in the Lords. A constitutionally enshrined veto as opposed to equal voting power is a step too far and a bit of a sledgehammer when the chamber is non-party political. The desire for it not to be a retirement home should be defended if the chamber is elected; only those who have done well should be elected.
Furthermore, Lords should be banned from taking political office once their term has ended. That stops it being a breeding ground too.
I see the House of Lords as the revising chamber; it's main function is the scrutiny of legislation and Governmental actions (ministers should be allowed to speak in the Lords to defend goverment actions/bills).
It needs to be linked to the people, but not behoven to them. Lords need to be more trustees or free agents than delegates. I believe this electoral procedure would enshrine that:
-Citizens apply for a specific Lords seat; preferabley they would be national seats rather than constituency i.e. just be numbered 1 to 350 or however many there are. Applicants can only be candidates for one seat at a time.
- each Lord seat is randomly assigned 100,000 or however many electors who vote by AV. Each elector receives 1 piece of literature from each candidate, perhaps use internet fora/question times to question candidates. No other literature is allowed, or even possible since the candidates don't know who their electors are
- Lords serve VERY long terms without chance for re-election, or even for life whilst in good health and behaviour. There would be a recall function for Lords not serving the people well enough; it would be large enough threshold so it couldn't be a party political tactic and would require grassroots citizen action.
How would you reform the House of Lords?
Iain Dale’s timely blog post about the need for Bishops sitting in the House of Lords to avoid party politics has got me thinking. Am I alone in noticing that the issue of House of Lords reform has almost completely disappeared from the political agenda? Firstly, I can understand, even if ...
Improving microcosmic representation should be down to political parties and no-one else.
Should we do more to make Parliament more representative?
On 12 November the House of Commons agreed to establish a new committee, which will be chaired by the Speaker. According to the Parliament website, the Speaker's Conference - which will be comprised of him and seventeen other members - has been asked to: "Consider, and make recommendations for r...
The right thing to do, but could also be seen as a shrewd political move
McCain suspends presidential campaign and calls for bipartisan focus on troubled economy
It's a temporary suspension but may mean cancellation of Friday night's debate. McCain's statement: "America this week faces an historic crisis in our financial system. We must pass legislation to address this crisis. If we do not, credit will dry up, with devastating consequences for our econ...
One of the worst of a very bad bunch
Good riddance
Ruth Kelly
Doubtless you know by now that Ruth Kelly is stepping down. What do we think of her going? What repercussions will it have reshuffle-wise...?
Teach science in science class, and teach religion in religious studies. Simple really.
RE: Should creationism be permitted to be taught in schools?
The discussion of my earlier post has exposed a really key issue, that I want to bring out separately. Many of the commenters want to urge the following: There should be no distinction drawn between belief in Young Earth creation and the more general belief that God created the Universe. Scien...
Sharing the proceeds of growth when there is some seems only sensible to me. As we enter a different economic climate, it is only sensible again to change our methods. But when we get the economy back on track, Osborne's economic plans in a growth economy will keep it that way.
Sharing the proceeds of growth: RIP
"Sharing the proceeds of standstill" doesn't quite chime does it? But that's where the economy had got to at the end of June, and now it's probably in the first quarter of what will turn out to be a recession. Couple that to Eurozone holiday exchange rates, and the rising cost of more or less ev...
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