I keep watching the Commons. And I keep despairing at the stupidity on display. Since the BBC Parliament channel is now heavily watched (unbelievably) I cannot be alone in thinking it really would have been better if many of our legislators had been promoted to be in charge of the broom cupboard, such is the wisdom and insight they have to offer.
Most especially what I note amongst the supposed champions of business on the Tory benches is the obvious lack of any real experience of anything beyond running the tombola at a village fete. The evidence was apparent yesterday in the voting on the Letwin / Cooper bill. Fourteen Tories voted for this. Thirteen had been long serving ministers. They know, as Mark Francois and Jacob Rees-Mogg never will, the implications for the country of No Deal.
For their wisdom they will be de-selected, no doubt.
But I sincerely hope those from the business community who have always, and without thinking, voted Tory have taken note. That party is no longer on their side and is now made up of people indifferent to their interests.
The Tories have abandoned their loyalty to business and wealth; the City and the Union. They are instead the party of English nationalism now. Caveat emptor to those still inclined to vote for them. The appearance on the tin may be the branding of old, but this party is now nothing like that which existed in even the recent past. And nor will it go back again, I suspect.
What amazes me is that there is, so far, no backing for a new moderate party on the Right. I would have little time for it, I suspect. But the absence if its forthcoming is notable. It reveals the contempt business has developed for politics, after assuming for so long that whoever is in power will be compliant with its wishes. Business may be in for a very rude awakening.
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An important and well observed point.
The Tory Party should be called the ‘Lynton Crosby Party’ because it seems to me that they swallowed his methods wholesale. But it also tells us that the Tories are in big trouble – probably even more than Labour.
Have you read Larry Elliott this morning? He is being a naughty boy again (raising certain issues at the wrong time?) but the point he actually makes in the end is that it is the way the UK economy is set up that is our trading weakness in Europe – not necessarily the EU itself (our lack of manufacturing capacity these days).
If that is the case, then staying in would be better especially if Corbyn and Co want to revitalise UK manufacturing.
I will check him out
[…] have already reflected on one long term change to the political scene resulting from Brexit this morning. That is the […]
I suspect that the Tories have more accountants, lawyers, bankers, hedge fund managers and other sundry financiaers in their ranks than any other party.
If you applied for a loan or investment funding from these people you would be asked to provide a business plan, cash flow forecast, risk analysis and opportunity cost analysis – sharpish.
When it comes to the future of he country they are prepared to act without any of these things.
What does that say about their ethical integrity?
When almost all of the Conservatives voted against the motion to prevent ‘no deal’, it becomes obvious that they are not listening to business but following a different agenda, one of petty nationalism and unregulated finance. In fact they have chosen to become the British version of the American Republican party.
“But I sincerely hope those from the business community who have always, and without thinking, voted Tory have taken note. That party is no longer on their side and is now made up of people indifferent to their interests.”
As long as Conservative Party is committed to reducing taxation, increasing inequality, financial deregulation and creating new opportunities for corporations to indulge rentier practices the Tories will keep voting Tory!
If an individual holds share in BP, BAE or HSBC they would be deluded not to vote Tory.
By no means all businesses share those goals
I know
The demise of the Tory party has been gradual but long coming.
Over a period of time their policies shifted towards looking after the older voter, well off and with certain hard line views, despite Cameron’s modernisation, at the expense of younger voters. The problem is that they have now put themselves in a real bind because they have reached a tipping point where their membership is largley in this category and it’s completely at odds with the younger demographic.
Whenever you read the comments on ConHome, it’s the same story “my CLP are all old and dying off” which leads to a big problem when it comes to feet on the ground fighting elections. Also read that donors are so fed up with the Brexit mess that they have withheld donations and party funds are down to £1.5m.
They really need to pivot now to the youth voter, but to do that will go against every policy instinct. Instead they made it even worse, by pivoting towards Brexit!
… many Tory MP’s are independently wealthy whilst others stand to gain from investing in disaster capitalism…
When, Richard, you refer to Tory MPs with business experience (more likely business interest) I always assumed that business was Wealth Management. They may not be aware of any other business sector of importance.
That is not business
It is gambling
And squally losing
I’m not sure I would risk putting them in charge of something as important as the broom cupboard.
If Labour is to take advantage of Tory abandonment of business, Jeremy Corbyn needs to explain why voting Labour will be better. I think it could be without changing policy, but JC needs to lead on this issue if Labour is to change perceptions of a Labour Government.
Since BBC Parliament is heavily watch it would be good to have sponsorship logos on all the MPs suits. At least the viewers will know who owns them then
The Late Robin Williams said much the same of Senate members in the US – he said they should copy the idea from car racing where the racing overalls have sponsors on them and he is right.
Who’s your Daddy – right?
My worry is that business has already had a rude awakening from the Twatties (Tories) already under austerity.
I mean just look at what has been happening in the retail sectors for a start with shops closing down, retailers competing harder for a lower spend per head, profit margins squeezed and the toll that has had on jobs? Then look at what that has done to our cities and council budgets.
The problem is business – with the likes of Sir Stewart Rose (ex-M&S) for example – who are too thick to realise the effect it has had on them because they too drink from the same Neo-lib poisoned chalice the Twatties (Tories) drink from.
The only thing business ‘gets’ is BREXIT and the threat to supply and prices. But it is too late. They should have been concerned about and fought austerity too from 2010.
What they don’t see is that the money that the Twatties withdrew from the economy was also THEIR money (turnover).
I also believe that the austerity has broken the link between business and society.
It’s not about proudly employing people anymore because people are expensive; its about using austerity as an excuse (or a driver) to increase the use of technology and shedding people.
It’s now what I would call ‘plug hole capitalism’. The stupidity is that technology does not buy stuff: people with income do.
Where is all of this going, huh? We seem to be sleepwalking into a social disaster of colossal proportions.
Big business like the EU because they have spare time to send lobbyists and make complicated rules that need full time experts to navigate.
Whilst the heart of the country are small businesses with out the above time.
The CBI is the big business and dislike the small unless they can be taken over.
So small business and big business have different views on how stacked the system in the EU is and also its the big business that will shout loudest and with the biggest amount of time, PR advertising, lobbying and expense budgets. Ironic considering how well paid they are for being so super talented.
Given that the big business PLCs dont donate they have lost influence ironic whilst the masses below in SMEs have gained influence on the Brexit vote . . .