A Beat Behind

[poliphilo]

Politicians have a choice; they can lead opinion or they can reflect it. Most democratic politicians these days are reflectors- and that's one of the reasons we despise them so. We look for leadership and all we get is our own stale opinions beamed back at us- and we think, "Well, I could have said that only probably more trenchantly." It's why politicians who challenge the prevailing mood do so well-  Nigel Farage a year ot two back, Jeremy Corbyn now. It's the vision thing. If our leaders can't see further than we do then what's the point of them?

David Cameron- the reflector's reflector- got caught out yesterday. He thought he was reflecting the public mood on migrants but the mood was changing even as he spoke and he was just a beat behind. He said- looking rubicundly prosperous as he always does- that Britain couldn't possibly do more to help with the refugee crisis and his picture and windy opinion appeared on the same pages that were headlining pictures to a dead baby being lifted from the sea at Bodrum. The public mood is fickle and fleeting and a single image can deflect it and bounce it off on another trajectory. Mr Cameron is now left having to defend or disavow a policy the British people consider heartless.

Comments

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

It was Bodrum in Turkey, but yes- I think the public may be beginning to wonder how he sleeps a' nights!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'll correct that within the post.

I'd don't get Cameron at all. I've no idea what makes him tick. He seems intelligent but incurious. It's a combination of qualities I just don't understand.

[howlin-wolf-66.livejournal.com]

That's what happens when you have no convictions of your own, and you just say whatever you think will play the best... I can't say I feel sorry for him!

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Yet in was Cameron who pushed marriage equality through here- very much a personal campaign and against the prejudices of this own right.

I don't begin to get the man.........

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

I feel an uneasy coziness between Labour and the Conservatives. Not uneasy for them, I should emphasise, but for the country. It's all too often, in the "New Labour" world, been a case of one arm starting the job, and the other finishing it, as with (positively) marriage equality, and (negatively) zero hours contracts, and DWP sanctioning.

That's not to say there are no disagreements - but when there's such solidarity between the two on matters ranging from zero hours contracts, DWP sanctioning, and universal surveillance, I'm left with the evidential impression that they comprise one party, with dissatisfied wings to the left, who'd prefer promoting compassionate and productive immigration, and renweable energy, and to the right, who feel birthright trumps all, and that global warming is merely a shrill tactic of Big Climate, some entity so shadowy even Fox News hasn't been able to uncover its backers, or indeed, existence.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Oh me too!

I'm a former Labour party member- resigned over Iraq and the Kelly Affair.

What we have at present is a bunch of poor little rich privilege public school and Oxbridge kids- Tories and Tories Lite.

Than the lord for the likes of Dennis Skinner and Glenda Jackson!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I imagine he'll find a way of getting himself back into the swim. He's a remarkably slippery customer.

[kamomil.livejournal.com]

The child's family had applied to immigrate to Canada and were turned down. Only the father is alive now, mother & 2 children drowned. So lots of egg on politicians' faces this morning

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I understand they have a relative in Vacouver...

[kamomil.livejournal.com]

Apparently they were missing the correct immigration documents because they were refugees *headdesk*

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

Yep, a very slippery customer. Just wonder how he does sleep at night.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't know what goes on in his head. Of all recent British prime ministers he's the most opaque.

[lora-diary.livejournal.com]

Long live democracy...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes, it doesn't always work very well, but its the best political system we have.

[lora-diary.livejournal.com]

I know, I am full of envy.)))))