Where is this year going? Way back on Jan 7 Jeremy Corbyn (remember him?) asked in the House of Commons ‘where is the Prime Minister?’ In reply, Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary since 2019, replied ‘The Prime Minister is busy running the country’. If only that were true. It is another of those myths which … Continue reading Running the country
What is so good about sovereignty?
During the whole in/out of the European Union debate the question of sovereignty has repeatedly raised its head, but what does it mean and why is it so important? It is a word that seems to be self-fulfilling in that sovereignty is the ‘Supremacy of authority or rule as exercised by a sovereign or sovereign … Continue reading What is so good about sovereignty?
Lost postal votes
The more I think about the way that we conduct our version of democracy, the more I become concerned about its lack of democracy. I have described in many previous blogs, among other things, how first past the post leads to a minority government but my mind has now become occupied by seeming anomalies in … Continue reading Lost postal votes
A better vote allocation
The only thing I like about our first past the post system is that it is local by nature. We all vote for someone who represents our constituency. I have made the point however on many occasions that when all the votes are counted and MPs elected the majority of the public are let down. … Continue reading A better vote allocation
The times they really are a changing
Ah the vagaries of local politics. This blog is dedicated to my friend Charles who I engage with regularly over politics online, yet rarely when we actually meet up with each other. He and I are of very different persuasions which leads to some interesting conversations and only goes to show that politics need not … Continue reading The times they really are a changing
It’s all Greek to me
OK, so Johnson can recite a passage from The Iliad, Homer’s epic poem but why does this matter? Does it show him to be clever and deserving of his position in society, or is there something more to it? Before I go any further, I can confirm that I have read the Iliad, in English … Continue reading It’s all Greek to me
Conservative win or Labour loss?
A conversation with someone on LinkedIn about the 2019 General Election got me thinking about the result. It had been hailed as a great success for the Conservative party and in terms of seats it certainly was. The party saw a rise in the number of seats in the commons of over 10%, from 317 … Continue reading Conservative win or Labour loss?
First past which post?
Our voting system is often referred to as first past the post (FPTP). It is supposed to ensure that a single candidate emerges from each constituency and lead to stable governments. We can imagine an election like a horse race, where each candidate starts off with no votes to a finishing post somewhere in the … Continue reading First past which post?
Before you vote
By this time next week there will only be a few hours left to put your cross on the ballot paper in what might turn out to be the most decisive general election in a generation. All of the hustings will be over and the national coverage will be focused on guessing which party will … Continue reading Before you vote
History in straight lines
Whatever happens with Brexit, at some time in years to come there will be someone to write the biography of the latest Prime Minister. Depending upon whether the outcome is good for him or bad, the author will describe his actions and how they contributed to his unmitigated success or utter disaster. If the outcome … Continue reading History in straight lines
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 