Having lived in one of the London Boroughs next door to Barking for about 20 years, I am of the impression that a lot of people in Barking perhaps don’t actually know Margaret Hodge’s background and what she presided over when she was at Islington Council (the scandal and subsequent cover up of children being abused in care homes there, some of whom have since committed suicide). It was given vast coverage in the Evening Standard. For her then to have become the children’s minister in a Labour government was disgusting in my view.
As for Brown, we were having a discussion about his majority when I went to the local optician’s for an appointment yesterday and the feeling is there was a bit of a sympathy vote going on because of how is is portrayed in the media - also don’t forget that as half of the workers in his constituency are either employed by the council or in places like the Jobcentres people naturally fear for their jobs if there are to be cutbacks (perhaps they should experience the world of the private sector or the self employed small business person under Labour and see what that’s like). The truth is, people only ever vote one way in this part of the country which is historically Labour so no change there. However, voting for someone because you felt sorry for them is not a very good idea. Adam Smith was born here and if it were not for the theatre and college being named after him he would be practically expunged from our history because the local hard line socialists hate him for the free market. Unfortunately for them, they haven’t worked out that Keynsian supply and demand theory practices don’t work.
It also appears Labour were returned to Dunfermline after a period with a Lib Dem MP because they were putting out scare stories regarding Rosyth Dockyard losing contracts and the possibility of job losses there. As for the Labour MP who was returned again to Glenrothes, well there are still a lot of questions to be answered about what happened at the original by election he was elected in. People are still waiting to find out what happened to the voting register that mysteriously went “missing” after the by election, also why certain important papers relating to it were put into black sacks and then “accidentally” ended up being put out with the rubbish.
Labour sleaze has made the Tories of the mid 90s look like they were having a dollies tea party.
I don’t think many people of left of centre persuasion are looking at Labour through rose tinted spectacles - I think perhaps we are looking at the Tory party and seeing the grinning wolf under the sheep’s mask! there is no way that the Tory party will want their leadership to accede to Lib Dem requirements and no way that Lib Dems will want their leadership to sell out their principles of social justice. There are some big cracks becoming evident within the individual parties as their internal coalitions become unstuck - and that applies to Labour too, I suspect that Gordon Brown’s time as leader is coming to an end.
I think the current political system is becoming very obviously bankrupt with the first past the post system and the evident inability of politicians to demonstrate fiscal integrity - or any other kind of integrity in many cases. We need politicians who can do more than work in westminster. The first MP elected manages a womens refuge - thats more like it, she has a notion of the difficulties that real people face.
I just want a fair government that will sort this country out, especially the economic mess. I remember being a young adult when Margaret Thatcher was elected and the period of social unrest certain parts of the country suffered with rioting and looting. It certainly worries me that there is the potential for this again. However, I cannot stand the Labour people in Scotland who are to the extreme left of the party. They should just be honest and admit they are Communists; sadly I only ever see their constituencies being held back by them like they are in a time warp.
I wouldn’t be surprised if either the Conservatives try to go it alone (I think the LibDems are just playing games), then we get another election at some point. Brown has made his announcement now for a reason (trying to mess things up for David Cameron). I find Brown very double dealing and devious, so maybe him and Clegg would make good bedfellows.
It needs to be sorted out now, the economic damage is getting worse and sterling is down against the dollar on the markets. Coupled with the fact we now have to bail the Greeks out, it just gets worse from where I am sitting.
What a shambles eh,it gets worse by the day, Labour still trying to cling on to power at all costs, Gordon Brown saying he will stay on as Priminister untill the Labour Conference, Nick Clegg playing King Maker, pftt, now enjoying playing off one against the other, (funny how the loosers have got all this power ) reckon Norman Tebbit was right yesterday when he said , Nick Clegg with his tiny vote should be locked in a cuboard to let the Big Boys sort it out. Then if the Lib Dems make a deal with Labour and the numerous other rainbow of parties, it will end up being a government of the loosers ha, its a joke and just to finish it off we wont even know who will be the Priminister, So effectivly another unelected Priminister lovely,
British politics is fast becoming a joke!!
And all this in the interest of the country? Please!!
I agree that it is a mess and how its going to go is anyone’s guess at the moment. What I can’t understand (or am I just very stupid) is why if the country were so sick of Labour, did Cameron not get a majority vote? It was his for the taking, surely, yet he still couldn’t pull it off - what does that tell us about the country wanting a Conservative government? I think Brown has done the right thing by resigning and allowing his party some chance with a new leader. As for the concerns about an unelected Prime Minister, this happened when John Major took over when Maggie got booted out so its nothing new? We vote the party in not the person?
I think the difference with John Major is that he did actually fight a leadership contest to take over from Thatcher, then he called a General Election a couple of years later where he got voted back in fair and square, so not quite the same as just taking over like Gordon Brown. I remember him taking over from Mrs T well, because he came and officially opened my office in the morning (I believe he was Chancellor at the time), then he was PM by the time I got home at 6.30 that evening.
Personally, I think it’s only diehard Labour voters who would want a Labour Party headed up by either Milliband or Balls (who talks a load of balls, at least he did on Question Time recently). Labour supporters keep banging on about the Tories being posh boys, but this pair are the sons of well off left wing academics, so I’m not sure if that’s any better :-). Clegg is in danger of damaging his party by being indecisive, but according to some reports this morning Paddy Ashdown is pulling the strings (I also think this country is currently being run by Mandelson and Campbell).We also need some politicians who have done work in the private sector and who haven’t just been either public or civil servants or political researchers. There are too many who see the life of an MP being an ego inflating career move, not enough who genuinely want to serve the public - I actually don’t think Brown serves the public either as, having had him as my MP for 5 years now, I can’t see what he has done for this area.
Like many other places, we have big social problems here (drugs, alcohol, etc), plus too many teenagers with babies living in free council flats and people who are unwilling to work, despite their being some jobs around. Believe me, I saw it all in the voluntary job I was doing - I’ve taken a rest from it for a bit as constantly dealing with a majority of people who were dysfunctional with only the odd genuine case was starting to get me down a bit. As usual of course, people here blame it on Margaret Thatcher, but they’ve had 13 years of Labour which they don’t seem to see has made things worse, because the Labour MPs here have done nothing about it.
I agree with Cathy. Regardless of party, I am getting fed up with the commentators talking about an unelected Prime Minister. We vote for our MPs, and members of their party then choose their leader. We do not have a President elected by the people.
I also agree with Cathy and Ann, and its not uncommon for a party leader to resign after an unsuccessful election.
Problem is that this time, all of the main parties could well be deemed to have been unsuccessful, as none of them have achieved their stated aim and expectations. In terms of the country making its wishes chrystal clear, I think the only clarity is that we can’t agree, as a country, on what we want - hence the current bumble-broth.
I have always thought a coalition of the broadly left of centre parties made more sense than a ‘lib-con’ coalition(I would do, having left of centre views myself) and I feel that the NHS is better in left of centre hands.
At this point, watching the political promiscuity is fascinating me (mainly cos I’m still housebound at present)and the cracks within the parties are all coming to the fore - we are seeing politics in the raw, and learning what these smooth talking people really think. Very interesting…
We do need political stability, not just for the markets (which are treated as the only relevant issue) but in global political terms - Israel talking about a war with Iran, small matter of Afghanistan, eurozone issues, and internal issues - public services, BA strike etc etc, and for me, the sooner this is resolved, the better.
I think the Tories would prefer to go it alone as a minority govt but obviously don’t think they could pull it off, hence trying to get the lib dems back into bed with them and referring to them as ‘two-timing’ when they talked to Labour.
It certainly is an interesting time
It is so fascinating. Its really history in the making and who knows whats going to happen. Who would have thought that a small party like the Lib Dems would have such a pivotal role in the formation of a new government? They have the Tories in the palm of their hands, it would seem - now Labour too. I do feel for the Lib Dems as they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t, whichever party (if any) they choose to support. And the press, of course, is lapping it up, milking it for everything its worth and stirring up trouble whenever it can. However, fascintating or not, like Daislyleaf says, it is also deeply worrying that we have no party strong enough or popular enough to take the reins and do something positive with all the country’s problems.
Looks like it will be all over in the next few hours. The Queen is back at the palace and there are reports that luggage is being loaded into cars behind 10 Downing Street. Her Majesty’s private secretary has been seen in Whitehall just after 4pm. They think David Cameron will be at the palace within the next 24 hours. I hope it is all over, it was becoming too nerve racking - I’ve had one eye on accounts and filing and the other on the internet all day!
Latest news say David Cameron is now officialy Priminister , I actualy think Gordon Brown looked quite relieved that it is all over, Heard earlier that some of the media are saying Nick Clegg to be Deputy Priminister ?? and that the Con/Lib deal is to be for 3 yrs, and 3 budgets, have to wait now to see what this deal if any entails. Expect there will be statements from both later this evening .
Bet Gordon Browns thinking at least he can sleep tonight lol.
Not too impressed that 2 Conservative ‘promises’ have already been put on hold though. At least the Tax re low earners is a plus for me as I have a poorly paid job.
Will be interesting to see how this Con/Lib deal pans out.
I agree karen im sure Gordon will sleep much more soundly now lol,big weight off his shoulders i expect, yes i expect there will have had to be some compromises made by the conservatives tut, im not too impressed with that either , but suppose something has to give, glad Nick Clegg has dropped the amnesty on immigration anyway, and like you glad the Tax re low earners get a better deal, will be very intersting to see what the whole deal entails ,i would have much prefered a majority outright win by David Cameron ,but at least now their will be 2 young fresh faced people who i realy hope will be committed to working together to sort this mess out, we will see.
Bet this time last week Nick Clegg couldnt have in his wildest dreams thought he would be where he is now!!
I wish they would stop reporting that Brown is on his way back to his constituency home this evening - he doesn’t actually live in his constituency! Hopefully, he will now try to use some of his former gravitas to bring some real jobs and investment into the area instead of us getting public sector non jobs and being told how great it is that the local call centre has another few vacancies. We also need something for young people to aspire to here as well.
I don’t think Mr Cameron can be any worse at the moment, I’m interested to see what this coalition will do.
well, it looks like Gordon Brown is leaving politics altogether, which is sad. I thought his resignation speech was very dignified.
I think that this coalition is headed for the buffers - lot of people already saying they feel sold out by Clegg and will be joining labour. It just smacks of desperation, and personally, I think Clegg and co took a very short-sighted view when they sold out to Cameron, Gideon and co - they can no longer challenge the problems and injustices, they are now part of them all.
The day Labour were voted in, in 1997, I got my path results after mx, and my treatment plan started then. The differences between then and this time are staggering (yes I know I keep saying this, but its part of my argument, so sorry if you find it tedious).
I wonder how long it takes our new govt to undo all the good work…?
I feel really sorry for all the people cared for in the private sector where standards, regulation, inspection etc will go by the board - its enough to make you weep.
I’d like to think that this new government will address the problem of people not being able to get the drugs they need. I read in the news a short while ago that the lady who was refused drugs for a rare cancer in Kent recently and whose case was taken up by the DM had died in the past couple of days. West Kent PCT approved the drugs, but she was taken ill and it was too late. There have also been 2 drugs in Scotland this week, one for non small cell lung cancer, are not being allowed, despite the fact the drug company offered to cover half the cost.
Daisyleaf, sorry, but do you have a problem with George Osborne’s real name being Gideon?