All that needs to be said about Tory belief in parliament, equality, and respect.
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Some months ago, I was with a group of academics and students on a tour of EU instituions in Brussels. We visited the European Parliament, and everyone was impressed by the contrast of that assembly with the Westminster House of Commons. Most especially, we noted that , where the HoC was laid out as two opposing banks of uncomfortable benches, at Brussels the assembled MEPs are seated in individual desks, spaciously arranged in a three quarter circle facing the podium. The layout of the HoC is designed for political confrontation; it is, in miniature, a field of battle with two armies confronting each other, and the combatants tightly ranked in a condition of discomfort that encourages bad and aggressive behaviour. In debates, anything said in Brussels must be translated into the various languages of the member nations. Shouted insults, shouting, and jeering are made more difficult and pointless when , say, some stupid and insulting statement has to be translated from Latvian into German/French/English, and then on into Portuguese or Irish. That there is never a majority for any one single party or group, thanks to proportional representation and multinational representation, compromise and co-operation are essential if any work is to be done. When a vote is to be taken, an MEP leans forward and presses a button. In Westminster, there is thgat weird arcane time consuming wearying procedure of dividing the house, shoving through the lobbies, the tally, the tally keepers moving forward and nodding to the Speaker, “The Ayes to the right…..The Noes to the left…..” – “The ayes have it- the ayes have it….Unlock! Unlock!”….great theatre I suppose, but really, is that a proper way to choreograph the democratic process? The Westminster Hous of Commons is a creaking, clattering,grinding antiquated debating and decision making machine that itself surely needs a complete overhaul or redesign. The Brussels European Parliament is a smoothly operating machine that, though it undoubtedly has its shortcomings, nevertheless deserves the respect of the peoples of Europe; Westminster is built and operated for chaos, confrontation, and encourages the MPs to behaviour that deserves no respect from the peoples of Britain.
We could learn from it…
The Scottish Parliament is laid out in a similar horseshoe shape, there is proportional representation and voting is electronically by pressing a button.
And it works
JennyC says:
“The Scottish Parliament is laid out in a similar horseshoe shape, there is proportional representation and voting is electronically by pressing a button.”
Indeed so. Because it was designed, both the physical building and the constitutional structure’ for the 21st century rather than the late middle ages…….
I don’t believe we should embrace modernity with such enthusiasm as to throw out anything and everything just because it is old….but when a thing has ceased to function as it should, the dustbin (or recycling centre) beckons.
And conforming to an ancient custom of the British Parliament, they must remain “two swords and one inch apart”.
The irony of Jacob Rees Mogg, yesterday, standing at the dispatch box pretending to be the champion of the will of the people is beyond parody.
….but I know from online discussion forums, and various MSM commentators and pundits that there really are people ‘out there’ who swallow it whole.
The people who were in olden times the literal cannon fodder in the battles for aristocratic privilege close to the sovereign’s largesse, are today the financial cannon fodder feeding the coffers of the City of London. It’s less violent than it used to be, but the end result is similar. An impoverished population and a wealthy and powerful elite who seek to make the law and live above it.
Sadly there are those who do indeed swallow it whole
The lady to his left should have behaved as a nanny would with a petulant child.
But she didn’t.
Are they all so frightened of Dominic Cummings?
Jeni Parsons says:
“Are they all so frightened of Dominic Cummings?”
It would appear so…… I don’t know why, but this sort of individual power base has been one of the mysteries of politics since forever.
Chimpanzees know how to deal with overweening individuals. And we think they are stupid…….. ?
Surely Johnson and the rest of the cabinet should have the whip removed too if the only criteria is to have voted against the party and the leadership. Didn’t everyone of them vote against Theresa May?