I’d be interesting in reading that opposing view 5thElefant – do you have any article links?

Functioning Democracy?

isnt it just us that have 26 free spots for Bishops in parliament

oh wait Iran does that too, so we are in good company

I’d be interesting in reading that opposing view 5thElefant – do you have any article links?

I find it hard to believe you’ve missed this. Tories needing more votes than labour to gain a majority has been accepted wisdom for years.

I’ll let you do the googling.

Electoral Bias

Tories needing more votes than labour to gain a majority has been accepted wisdom for years.

True. The system is so stacked against the tories that they are proposing to correct this grave injustice by bringing in PR. Oh wait..

Functioning Democracy?
isnt it just us that have 26 free spots for Bishops in parliament
oh wait Iran does that too, so we are in good company

Functioning, not perfect. I’d sling the bishops and remaining hereditary lords out immediately (ditto the monarchy).

But bracketing the UK (and Scotland in particular, with free and contested local, Scottish, UK and European elections) with Iran is just self-evidently silly.

We don’t even need the ridiculous anachronism of the HoL to have shoddy democracy in this country:

http://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/the-moment-18-mps-in-a-committee-most-people-have-never-heard-of-axed-maintenance-grants-for-england-a6814151.html

I’ll let you do the googling.

ok – I’ve googled.
Borders based on any kind of political leaning seems completely ridiculous to me. If it was done like this in the past, that that’s rubbish, but doing it again based on the same thought process seems equally skewed.

Not so sure on that one – not that I agree with the outcome- but committees have to make some decisions and the party in power has the power in the committees as well so sometimes its just done to make the whole thing happen quicker. Had parliament debated this we would have the same outcome as the tories are in charge there as well.

In this case they seem to have abused this process to pass unpopular legislation on the quiet. I am sure all Govts have done this and that is questionable.

Borders based on any kind of political leaning seems completely ridiculous to me.

They weren’t (and won’t be). It’s just the quirks of trying to create geographic constituencies when population densities vary of time.

I can’t see how anyone could argue there aren’t too many of them, so getting rid of some can only be good. I’d keep 100, and get rid of the lords, the scottish parliament, the welsh assembly, whatever the irish ones called and go back to unpaid counsellors. We could all have our own personal nurse with the money saved.

You cannot remove the Irish or the Scottish one without major issues surfacing. Which are you most keen an outbreak of the troubles in Ireland or more pushing for Scottish independence?

Yeah, I know, we’re stuck with a cobbled together mess with endless pointless hangers on be paid to do nothing useful. Come the glorious revolution… *

*and we’re back on topic.

go back to unpaid counsellors.

Why?

Why?

Exactly.

MPs used to be unpaid on principle but then they realised it favoured the independently wealthy since they could afford to do the job unpaid.

Plus the MEPs ffs! Too many ‘members’

What’s Corbyn’s pitch going to be in Scotland ? Is he going to take on the SNP head on on their record in government ? Moaning about the Tories isn’t going to het him very far up there,

What’s Corbyn’s pitch going to be in Scotland ?

Well I guess it’ll be something along the lines of labour being the real anti-austerity party, as opposed to the SNP who talk big, but deliver much less. It’s a pretty obvious line of attack, but I wonder if in addition to this, an argument that labour are much better able to deliver real change for Scotland by combining the economic and political power of Scotland and the North of England. He could for instance embrace the Northern Powerhouse concept and propose including Edinburgh and Glasgow, forming an economic and political alliance to deliver economic prosperity combined with social justice and fairness. Just an idea….

What’s Corbyn’s pitch going to be in Scotland ?

SNP baaad

scotroutes – Member

What’s Corbyn’s pitch going to be in Scotland ?

SNP baaad [/quote]

Put them Scots to hard Labour? Get it? Hard Labour! 😆

I suspected Corbyn’s tactic might be to continue being decent and nice to juxtapose the Tories’ political posturing, and hope it exposes them in the eyes of the public.

Seems like the first part is working at least. Dave seems to be getting uglier and uglier as time goes on which is interesting as he started of by trying to look like Mr Nice.

Gradually the cabinet is disappearing for PMQs, and other debates. In the chamber but not on the front benches. For those that think Corbyn is ineffectual, how do you explain this?

I have no idea what you’re talking about I’m afraid. Could you explain? Cabinet disappearing? What’s this got to do with Corbyn?

Corbyn has been putting the boot in a bit more lately.

Good.

a slipper surely- this is the nice new world of politics, remember?

He doesn’t need to call them arseholes, he can just be decent and wait for them to make arseholes out of themselves.

Amusing tete-a-tete between Rees-Mogg and Dave today!

He doesn’t need to call them arseholes, he can just be decent and wait for them to make arseholes out of themselves.

Labour Election Strategy, 2010-15

Implemented poorly though that time!

dazh – Member
I have no idea what you’re talking about I’m afraid. Could you explain? Cabinet disappearing? What’s this got to do with Corbyn?

Disappearing as in not on the front benches but ‘hiding’ during PMQs, having junior ministers answer questions during debates about flagship policy while their bosses hide somewhere in the chamber. Why?

Having Labour communist as a leader is really dated. You lot really need to think of something new to argue or to rebel rather than living in the bubble utopia.

Stop saving the world! 🙄

Start a nuclear war … reduce human population to 1/4 of it’s original size then you shall have your utopia.

I mean on the one hand you don’t like competition but on the other hand you want to save the world … c’mon … obvious is obvious.

Increase population leading to no competition? Ya, you lot haven’t thought through the process have you? 😆

having junior ministers answer questions during debates about flagship policy while their bosses hide somewhere in the chamber.

I see you’re suggesting that Corbyn has turned the labour party into such an effective parliamentary force that ministers are sending out cannon fodder to reap the whirlwind? An interesting theory. I have no real opinion as I don’t really watch parliamentary debates or PMQs but I’ll take your word for it 🙂

Breakfast in the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos and a STW political thread. Perhaps I am seeing first hand the sort of utopia Corbyn has in mind 🙂

Increase population leading to no competition? Ya, you lot haven’t thought through the process have you?

Bingo ! Labour’s approach will only “work” if their is agressive state protectionism of UK jobs at any cost. There is a huge wave of supremely smart, well educated and business/life hungry Chinese and Indians (amongst others) out there ready to compete for jobs and service provision

Corbyn is sending junior ministers to PMQ’s in an attemkt to “disrespect” PMQ plus he’s not very good at it, no energy

Corbyn is sending junior ministers to PMQ’s in an attemkt to “disrespect” PMQ plus he’s not very good at it, no energy

Err, wut? Corbyn can’t ‘send’ ministers to PMQs. That’s Cameron’s job. So if anyone is ‘disrespecting’ PMQs, it’s the Tories. And yes, we know you don’t like Corbyn…

How could anyone not like Jc? He’s the finest comedy character since Mr Bean.

The finest comedian since 5thElefant.

he’s not very good at it, no energy

Maybe the points he raises should be more important than his style?

You couldn’t sound more vacuous if you tried, jam.

jambalaya – Member
Breakfast in the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos and a STW political thread. Perhaps I am seeing first hand the sort of utopia Corbyn has in mind

I think you’ll find it’s Cameron that wants the UK to be a Chinese client state like Laos has been

Don’t you be ruining his tabloid rants with facts…in jmabyland using facts is like cheating.

I think you’ll find it’s Cameron that wants the UK to be a Chinese client state like Laos has been

Don’t you be ruining his tabloid rants with facts…in jmabyland using facts is like cheating.[/quote]

😆 JC’s comedy act is spreading to his comrades