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

[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.