British Politics

[poliphilo]

I find it a little shocking (even now, at my age, after all that's gone down) that the leader of the Labour party should be a millionnaire. And so, it seems, does he- which is why he opted to be photographed not in his best but in his second best kitchen. Of course the ruse was tumbled.

Cue hollow laughter.

How will I vote in the coming election? I don't know. Will I even vote at all? I suppose I will, out of habit and a mid-20th century respect (which I can't entirely shake) for the electoral process. I'm not going to agonize over it. We're now living in a constituency where the Tory will win no matter what.

Our politics is broken. I think it always was. And by always I do mean always. The Devils Whore- which I have been watching with pleasure and instruction over this past couple of days- deals with the galant futility of trying to build a heaven on earth. You depose a bloody tyrant called King Charles and- after God only knows how much bloodshed and destruction- you find yourself annointing a bloody tyrant called King Oliver.

Only you don't call him King, you call him Lord Protector- because you don't want to acknowledge to yourself or to the world  quite what it is you've done. Just as Ed Miliband doesn't want to acknowledge just how splendid his kitchen is.

Comments

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Although don't forget that Cromwell was offered and refused the crown.

He's way more complex than school and by extension, popular, history ever makes him.

I'm glad he still stands outside keeping an eye on the buggers in that monkey house!

For myself, I'll hold my nose and vote Labour.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The Devil's Whore fictionalises and greatly simplifies the English Civil War- but I think it gets the feel of it right.

I might vote Green. I probably won't make my mind up until I've got the slip in front of me,

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

I don't like the right sounding populism the Greens have suddenly started preaching- way too much like UKIP. I have voted Green in the past but not, I think, this time.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I voted for The Pirate Party last time round.

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

Really? I haven't been paying close attention yet, given the rather dire condition of UK politics - I'm not one to shy away from politics, by and large, but things have become quite depressing, with any issues of significance, such as universal surveillance and workfare, resulting in nothing more confrontational between Labour, the Conservatives, and the LibDems than a big group hug.

I'll actually have a Green candidate locally, at long last, so they'll be my choice. With FPTP, it's a solid Conservative seat (the usual story: leftist town, true blue countryside)

I did notice some disclaimer about the Citizen's Wage not being part of their platform this election, which would seem rather weird to me - that's such an eminently sensible concept. (But as the non-legalisation of pot shows, "sensible" isn't a term much in vogue in Westminster. Dr Nutter rather clearly found out the meaning of the phrase "politically correct")

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Really, sadly.

All the parties seem to be playing populism.

I'm a deeply political animal and campaigner- my life experience tends to make you that.

We're Tory at present, but our previous Labour chap is standing again this time and he was genuinely good- I'll vote for him if not the party to which I once belonged heart and soul (I'm the granddaughter of colliers). Iraq and the Kelly Affair killed that belief.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

That second kitchen is three times the size of my one kitchen...

[resonant.livejournal.com]

My apartment is a bit larger than that, but not by much.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't see the point of the Labour party any more- I really don't.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

The fact that they're not the Tories and tend to do somewhat less harm- although admittedly only just not and only just less.......

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

Yes well i did vote Green once but not again. So , for better or worse, i shall still vote Labour.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I joined the Greens once- about 20 years ago- then quit because they were so bloody useless.

But I don't think I can vote for the party of Milliband and Balls...

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

But then, they've been doing good work on Brighton's council, and seem to finally be blossoming into a mainstream party, with membership eclipsing the new Nasty Party, even if they lack a leader with the gift of terminal idiocy, which appears to be a guaranteed media magnet.

[matrixmann]

So I guess it's "every nation in Europe must invent new politcical parties"...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It seems to be what's happening.

The danger is the new parties will be even more disgusting than the old ones.

[matrixmann]

What currently takes place is: New parties arise with programms of the old ones in a more radicalized way.
So actually no "new" parties.

[splodgenoodles.livejournal.com]

I find it astonishing that the ruse was tumbled by someone taunting them for having such an ordinary kitchen. But then if they keep company with people who think they need protecting from such a dreadful accusation, I do wonder about them.