British Politics.

[poliphilo]

I voted in the European elections. There were a lot of fringe parties putting up candidates- and the voting slip was the longest I'd ever handled.

I say "I" not "we" because Ailz gets a postal vote and cast it weeks ago.

I voted for the Lib Dems. It was more a vote against than a vote for.

On the way down to Stratford we had the car radio on for the political news.  Jack Straw was being asked- repeatedly- why he hadn't tendered his resignation over the case of the French students who were murdered by a guy who should have been in prison but wasn't.  He talked about  his "duty". Straw is- all proportions kept-  Nu Labour's Talleyrand. As we were driving home after the play it was reported  that a third Cabinet Minister- James Purnell- had resigned from the government- and while the others- Smith and Blears-  went muttering courtesies, this one has said straight out that Brown is electoral poison and should go.

This morning the election results that are coming in are- as expected-  bad for Labour, Brown is reshuffling his cabinet and the Guardian's Martin Kettle predicts he'll be forced out in days.

Comments

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

I voted for the Lib Dems. It was more a vote against than a vote for.

There were probably quite a few votes like that yesterday.

Spain doesn't vote until Sunday. They expect a vote against our socialist gov but that's because of the current dire economic situation. People can't seen to see that the current gov didn't create it and that they can't make miracles happen despite their good intentions. It'll be the vote of the desperate, I'm afraid.

I'm just glad we don't have the equivalent of Brown here.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Brown wanted the job so achingly badly- and must now be wondering why. His tenure has been utterly disastrous- and is likely to end in humiliation.

[petercampbell.livejournal.com]

I feel sorry for Brown - he's mostly been picking up the debris from Blair's final years, and has had to deal with a recession that's been foisted on the world by the crazy free market rules that the Tories introduced.

Also, I really, really hate David "I'm just a regular guy" Cameron, and would take Brown over him any day.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but Brown went along with all the free market shit- and is as responsible as Blair is for the policies of the Blair years. I think this is a government that's worn out and needs to go.

I don't have any particular feelings about Cameron. I wouldn't vote for him, but I've little doubt he's going to be our next P.M.

[qatsi.livejournal.com]

I recall someone - I think it may have been Robert Harris - describing the 1997 election results as "a posthumous verdict on Thatcherism". I suspect the same will be true next time round, on Blairism (if you can attribute such an ideology-free premiership with an -ism).

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The wheel turns. Governments only have so much life in them- and the Blair-Brown project is all washed up.