The BBC reports Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron saying many Tory MPs are "toxic" and claiming David Cameron is using his coalition partners as "cover" for unpopular decisions.
Meanwhile, deputy leader Simon Hughes said his party would not have backed the government's academies bill if they had not been in the coalition. Liberal Democrat activists and some MPs are concerned about the party leadership's backing for a VAT rise, which they opposed at the general election, and cuts to school buildings programmes.
It all goes to strongly suggest principles have been sold out for a ministerial limo. Surely a betrayal of every Liberal Democrat voter. How the Liberals must fear the next ballot box.
Friday, 23 July 2010
Friday, 9 July 2010
Voting Liberal 'Pointless'
The BBC reports Liverpool Lib Dem council leader Warren Bradley saying he fears people will see no point in voting for the party after it formed the coalition government.
Pointing to the cancellation of school building projects Mr Bradley rightly suggests Liberal ministers are collaborating in policies that typical Liberal voters would soundly oppose.
It does appear that to gain their first sniff of power in the best part of a century, and for a referendum on voting reform of the mildest possible kind, Liberal MPs have been only too willing to sell out on supporters' core principles.
Pointing to the cancellation of school building projects Mr Bradley rightly suggests Liberal ministers are collaborating in policies that typical Liberal voters would soundly oppose.
It does appear that to gain their first sniff of power in the best part of a century, and for a referendum on voting reform of the mildest possible kind, Liberal MPs have been only too willing to sell out on supporters' core principles.
School Building Program Fiasco
Coalition Education Minister Michael Gove has been forced to make a humiliating apology after issuing a list of school building works cancellations that was littered with errors.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10549400.stm
Not only does the fiasco raise serious questions over the competence of the current administration but the whole cancellation of scheduled building works illustrates how little priority the coalition gives to the education of today's youngsters and the society of the future.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10549400.stm
Not only does the fiasco raise serious questions over the competence of the current administration but the whole cancellation of scheduled building works illustrates how little priority the coalition gives to the education of today's youngsters and the society of the future.
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
The Great Referendum Rip-Off
Great news that a referendum is to be held on making the UK's ridiculous voting system marginally better by moving to AV.
But already the vested interests are out in force trying to rig the thing.
Tory MP Bernard Jenkin complains that holding the vote on the same day as local & Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections would "artificially inflate the turnout". And there was us thinking Democratic politicians actually wanted high turnouts in order to better represent the will of the governed!
The dinosaurs are also trying to impose an arbitrary "threshold", so that even if a majority of voters back change, the status quo could still win. The "threshold" would work by requiring the proposal to change the voting system to not only win the referendum but get the support of 40% of everyone on the voting register - including those who didn't vote. In effect this would mean that non-voters would count as opponents of reform and would give opponents of reform a massive advantage in the referendum campaign.
Oppose the stitch-up - http://www.takebackparliament.com/
But already the vested interests are out in force trying to rig the thing.
Tory MP Bernard Jenkin complains that holding the vote on the same day as local & Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections would "artificially inflate the turnout". And there was us thinking Democratic politicians actually wanted high turnouts in order to better represent the will of the governed!
The dinosaurs are also trying to impose an arbitrary "threshold", so that even if a majority of voters back change, the status quo could still win. The "threshold" would work by requiring the proposal to change the voting system to not only win the referendum but get the support of 40% of everyone on the voting register - including those who didn't vote. In effect this would mean that non-voters would count as opponents of reform and would give opponents of reform a massive advantage in the referendum campaign.
Oppose the stitch-up - http://www.takebackparliament.com/
Humiliating coalition climbdown over 55% rule
Yesterday Nick Clegg announced a major coalition climbdown by making it possible for a simple majority of MPs to dismiss parliament (Nick Clegg retreats on no-confidence votes).
On the positive side it is at least reassuring that our lords and masters are willing to respond to widepsread criticism.
But isn't it extremely concerning that this highly educated elite lacked the foresight to realize that a government that couldn't command a majority would effectively be unable to function, they would be useless but immovable.
On the positive side it is at least reassuring that our lords and masters are willing to respond to widepsread criticism.
But isn't it extremely concerning that this highly educated elite lacked the foresight to realize that a government that couldn't command a majority would effectively be unable to function, they would be useless but immovable.
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